What happened
On October 23, 2025, a BRM Aero Bristell ultralight aircraft, registration YR-5439, was engaged in a private flight departing from Suceava "Ștefan cel Mare" International Airport (LRSV). The flight was intended to terminate at a landing field located approximately 12 km north of Bârlad.
The aircraft departed LRSV at 08:38 local time, heading toward its destination. After roughly one hour of flight, witnesses near the intended landing site observed the aircraft in the area; however, they subsequently lost visual contact due to heavy fog. Shortly thereafter, the sound of an impact was heard coming from a nearby forested area.
Emergency services were alerted via the E-CALL system at 09:42 local time. Upon arrival at the crash site on Buciog Hill, near the commune of Băcani, responders found the wreckage of the aircraft. The pilot was located trapped within the debris, and emergency personnel confirmed that there was one fatality.
The investigation
The Romanian investigation board conducted an initial on-site examination, which included capturing video and photographic evidence of the wreckage and the surrounding terrain. Investigators also interviewed eyewitnesses to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. The wreckage was recovered from the site for further technical analysis. The investigation remains ongoing.