Date & Time:
Dec 22, 1991 at 1137 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Classic Wings
Registration:
D-CCCC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Egelsbach - Egelsbach
MSN:
7353
YOM:
1942
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
25
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Egelsbach Airport in the middle morning on a local charter flight, carrying 29 passengers and a crew of three, among them a team who should make a TV movie on board. In flight, the captain left his seat and passengers came in the cockpit. The copilot was supposed to follow the Rhine River but distracted by discussions with the passengers, he mistook the Rhine with the Neckar River. Few minutes later, weather conditions deteriorated and the copilot decided to continue instead of returning. At an altitude of about 500 metres, he initiated a left turn when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located in the forest of Hoher Nistler, about 5 km northeast of Heidelberg. Four passengers were seriously injured while 28 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident occured in IMC conditions and the pilot mistook both Rhine and Neckar rivers while flying at a relative low altitude. The following factors were reported:
- Poor crew coordination,
- The crew failed to return,
- Poor visibility,
- The total weight of the aircraft was above MTOW,
- The CofG was out of permissible limit.
- Poor crew coordination,
- The crew failed to return,
- Poor visibility,
- The total weight of the aircraft was above MTOW,
- The CofG was out of permissible limit.
