Accident
On 4 December 2003, at approximately 15:08 local time, a Cessna 172 P (registration not specified in source) collided with trees and was destroyed in a wooded area near Krekel, close to OT Kall in the Eifel region. The aircraft impacted the ground in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The flight instructor and student were fatally injured. Forest damage occurred.
Flight History
The aircraft departed Bonn-Hangelar at 14:28 local time on a training flight under good visual flight conditions. After departure, the crew climbed above a layer of clouds and flew at altitudes between FL 36 and FL 45 (approximately 3,300–4,200 ft MSL). About 4 NM southwest of Dahlemer Binz, at 15:00, the Cessna turned left to a northeast heading and began a descent with an average rate of 250 ft/min. The last radar signal corresponded to the accident site. The crew did not make radio contact with any air traffic control facility after departure.
Weather
At the departure airport, visibility was 8–10 km, with some reduction toward the low sun. However, in the Eifel region, the GAFOR forecast indicated X-Ray conditions (horizontal visibility less than 1.5 km, cloud base below 500 ft above 2,000 ft reference). Meteorological reports from nearby stations reported fog with visibilities below 100 m. A strong inversion existed, with stratus cloud tops between 2,000 and 2,500 ft MSL.
Aircraft
The Cessna 172 P was a single-engine, four-seat, high-wing aircraft with fixed landing gear. It was owned by a local aviation club, registered in Germany for non-commercial operations. The last annual inspection was on 15 August 2003, after which the aircraft flew about 150 hours without significant issues. The aircraft was equipped for visual flight rules (VFR) but also had primary flight instruments for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). No technical defects were found.
Investigation
The investigation determined that while the crew was above the closed stratus deck, they did not realize that the clouds were in contact with the terrain in the hilly area of the northern Eifel. While attempting to fly around the last clouds at the edge of the cloud field, they lost visual reference at low altitude and struck the ground in controlled flight (CFIT). The wreckage examination showed that the flaps were retracted, the engine was under load at impact, and the left fuel tank contained a small residual amount; approximately 80 liters of fuel was estimated to be on board at the time of the accident.