History of the Flight
The pilot, aged 61, departed Nuremberg at 16:17 on an IFR flight plan to Basel-Mulhouse. At 17:21, he contacted approach control and was cleared for an ILS Z15 approach. Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) were in force. The controller reported RVR at touchdown 900 m, mid-point 700 m, stop-end 1,300 m. At 17:33, updated RVR was 750 m, 650 m, 800 m, visibility 350 m. The pilot remarked "That sounds very bad" but continued. At 17:34, he was transferred to tower and was number one for landing. The approach followed standard path and slope initially.
At 17:39:20, approximately 1,300 m from the threshold, the flight path deviated left up to 260 m from the centerline, towards the adjacent motorway. At 17:39:54, the pilot announced a missed approach. The controller advised the standard go-around. Radar showed the aircraft in a continuous turn. At 17:40:26, the controller asked to confirm transponder code. The pilot's last message at 17:40:33 was inaudible. Shortly after, the aircraft struck the PAPI of runway 15 and caught fire.
Site and Wreckage
Damage to propellers indicated significant engine torque at impact; both propellers had symmetrical pitch settings. The flap control was fully extended. The fuselage and surfaces were too damaged by fire to examine. The aircraft struck the ground nose-down with wings level.
Meteorological Information
At the time, weather included freezing fog, visibility 300 m, no ceiling, north wind 2 kt, temperature and dew point -0.8°C, 100% humidity, moderate icing from ground to 150-200 m. The METAR at 16:00 reported freezing fog, RVR 700 m decreasing, visibility 400 m.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private license since 1993, with ratings for single-engine, multi-engine, night, and instrument flight. He had about 3,248 flight hours total, with 1,293 hours on twin-engine aircraft. He had flown 33 h 45 min in the last 90 days, including 4 h 50 min on HB-LSD.
Aircraft Information
HB-LSD, built in 1979, had 3,292 flight hours and was maintained per manufacturer program. In November 2015, a Garmin GTN 650 GNSS and Aspen EFD1000 PFD were installed.
Spectrum Analysis
Engine speed was stable at 2,450 rpm during the approach; upon go-around, it increased to 2,576 rpm (maximum 2,575 rpm per flight manual).
Witness Statements
A car driver on the A35 motorway saw three bright white lights from a small aircraft flying low over the motorway with a steep descent, then heard a go-around and observed the aircraft stop descending and start a slight right turn.
Conclusion
The report describes a non-stabilized approach in LVP conditions, go-around, loss of control, collision with ground, and fire. The pilot's choice to continue the approach despite unfavorable conditions was noted.