Saint Gallen | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The pilot, sole on board, departed Siegerland Airport at 1100LT on a ferry flight to Arezzo, Tuscany. En route, while overflying Switzerland, he encountered marginal weather conditions. While cruising in IMC conditions, the single engine airplane impacted the slope of a rocky and snow covered face located west of Mt Grüehorn, in the south part of the canton of St Gallen. The wreckage was found later in the afternoon at an altitude of 1,700 metres. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the pilot continued under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Final Report:

HB-FLA

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C-GNVA

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HB-LPY

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Crash of an Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 in Altenrhein

Date & Time: Aug 6, 2012 at 1540 LT

Type of aircraft:

Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300

Operator:

Registration:

CN-MBR

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Geneva - Altenrhein

MSN:

505-00025

YOM:

2011

Flight number:

DLI211

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7025

Captain / Total hours on type:

75.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

5854

Copilot / Total hours on type:

465

Aircraft flight hours:

510

Circumstances:

On 6 August 2012 the Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 aircraft, registration CN-MBR, took off at 12:59 UTC from Geneva (LSGG) on a commercial flight to St. Gallen-Altenrhein (LSZR). After the initial call to the aerodrome control centre St. Gallen tower, the crew quickly decided, after an enquiry from the air traffic controller, on a direct approach on the runway 10 instrument landing system (ILS). Shortly thereafter, the landing gear and flaps were extended. The flaps jammed at approximately 10 degrees and the FLAP FAIL warning message was displayed. The crew carried out a go-around shortly before landing. The landing gear subsequently remained extended. The flaps remained jammed for the remainder of the flight. The crew decided immediately on a second ILS approach with jammed flaps, which according to the manufacturer's information required an increased approach speed. During the approach, the crew had difficulty in reducing the airspeed to this increased approach speed. At 13:40 UTC, the aircraft subsequently touched down on the wet runway at an indicated air speed of 136 kt, approximately 290 m after the runway threshold, and could not be brought to a standstill on the remaining length of runway. The aircraft then rolled over the end of runway 10, broke through the aerodrome perimeter fence and overrun the road named Rheinholzweg running perpendicular to the runway centreline, on which a public transport bus was travelling. The aircraft rolled very close behind the bus and came to a standstill in a maize field, approximately 30 m from the end of the runway. The female passenger and the two pilots were not injured in the accident. The aircraft was badly damaged. There was crop damage and damage to the aerodrome perimeter fence.

Probable cause:

The accident is attributable to the fact that the aircraft touched down late and at an excessively high speed on the wet runway after an unstabilized final approach and consequently rolled over the end of the runway.
The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The insufficient teamwork and deficient situation analysis by the crew.
- The flaps remained jammed at approximately 10 degrees, a position that is almost consistent with the flaps 1 position.
- Late initiation of full brake application after landing.

Final Report:

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2M-1 Turbo Porter in Altenrhein

Date & Time: Jan 29, 2002

Type of aircraft:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Operator:

Registration:

V-615

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

635

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On takeoff, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a grassy area beside the runway. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 425 Conquest off Altenrhein: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1994

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 425 Conquest

Operator:

Registration:

D-IEFW

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Riga - Prague - Altenrhein - Paris

MSN:

425-0228

YOM:

1985

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was completing a charter flight from Riga to Paris-Le Bourget with intermediate stops in Prague and Altenrhein. On approach to Altenrhein Airport, the aircraft lost height and crashed in the Constance Lake (Bodensee) about 4 km short of runway 10, off Rorschach. Three dead bodies were found few days later and the wreckage was located at a depth of 160 metres on February 7 only. The bodies of the pilot, a female passenger and a dog were never recovered.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. The aircraft quickly lost altitude on final for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Rockwell Gulfstream 690D Jetprop 900 off Altenrhein: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1989 at 1059 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Gulfstream 690D Jetprop 900

Operator:

Registration:

OE-FCS

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Vienna - Hohenems

MSN:

690-15036

YOM:

1984

Flight number:

RY102

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6945

Captain / Total hours on type:

1160.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1400

Copilot / Total hours on type:

400

Aircraft flight hours:

5197

Aircraft flight cycles:

4295

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Vienna-Schwechat Airport in the morning on a special flight to Hohenems-Dornbirn Airport, carrying nine passengers and two pilots, among them Alfred Dallinger, Austrian Minister of Labor. While descending to Hohenems Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Altenrhein Airport, Saint-Gall, Switzerland. At 1054, the aircraft passed the Altenrhein VOR at an altitude of 2,000 feet with an horizontal visibility estimated to 3-4 km with nebulosity. After completing the last turn to join the glide for a runway 10 approach, the aircraft was still over clouds at a 2,000 feet QNH altitude. Suddenly, the aircraft struck the water surface and crashed in the lake of Constance (Bodensee) about 5,100 meters short of runway 10 threshold. The wreckage was found off the village of Horn. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 11 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the fact that the crew continued the approach under VFR mode in IMC conditions.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor judgment of the weather situation prevailing in the approach sector,
- Deficiency in the distribution of tasks within the crew during the final approach,
- Improper use of the altitude alert / preselect system and the radio altimeter,
- The crew was stressed by the unfavorable weather conditions and the incoming of a layer of fog,
- Psychological pressure on the crew due to the presence on board of an important personality.

Crash of a Comte AC-11-V in Oberriet: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Comte AC-11

Operator:

Registration:

C-715

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane was engaged in a topographic flight over an area located south of the canton of Saint Gallen. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. While the pilot Max Brenneisen was injured, the passenger Gustav Baldinger was killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24-D-75-CO Liberator in Thurau

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1943 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

42-40611

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Benghazi - Benghazi

MSN:

1688

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over Switzerland, the crew encountered engine problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in a pasture near the village of Thurau and was damaged beyond repair. All 10 occupants including four officers evacuated safely and set the aircraft afire before being interned.
Crew:
1st Lt Alva J. Geron, pilot,
2nd Lt Russell P. Liscomb, copilot,
2nd Lt Robert V. Simpson, navigator,
2nd Lt Robert E. Todd, bombardier,
T/Sgt Donald J. Grimes, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Thomas A. Osborn, top turret,
S/Sgt Gumecindo J. Frausto, radio operator,
Sgt Charles L. Roberts, gunner,
Sgt Richard G. Ryan, gunner,
T/Sgt David L. Wightman, gunner.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to engine problems.