Aircraft crash near Linz during flight from Salzburg to Krems

4 fatalities • Linz-Hörsching, Austria • Flight

A twin-engine aircraft crashed into a mountainside northeast of Linz, resulting in the deaths of all four people on board.

What happened

While traveling from Salzburg toward Krems, a twin-engine aircraft was operating under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). During the flight, the crew decided to cancel their Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan, opting instead to proceed using Visual Flight Rules (VFR) procedures.

Shortly after this change in flight rules, the aircraft impacted a mountain slope that was obscured by cloud cover. The accident occurred approximately 35 km northeast of Linz. There were four fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.

Findings

  • The crew transitioned from IFR to VFR while flying in IMC.
  • The decision to fly under VFR in clouds led to the aircraft striking terrain.

Probable cause

The crew attempted to operate under visual flight rules while flying in instrument meteorological conditions, leading to controlled flight into terrain.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1996-05-12 Beechcraft 300 Super King Air accident near Linz-Hörsching, Austria?

A twin-engine aircraft crashed into a mountainside northeast of Linz, resulting in the deaths of all four people on board.

Were there any fatalities in the 1996-05-12 Beechcraft 300 Super King Air accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 4 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1996-05-12 involved a Beechcraft 300 Super King Air, registration OE-FEM, operated by Airlink Austria, at Linz-Hörsching, Austria.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The crew attempted to operate under visual flight rules while flying in instrument meteorological conditions, leading to controlled flight into terrain.

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