Fatal Controlled Flight Into Terrain in Eifel Forest

Casualties unknown • Krekel, nahe OT Kall / Eifel, DE

A flight instructor and student were killed when their Cessna 172 P struck trees during a descent through low clouds in the Eifel region.

What happened

On December 4, 2003, a Cessna 172 P departed from Bonn-Hangelar for a training flight. The flight was operated by a local flying club and was manned by a flight instructor and a student. While the weather at the departure airfield was clear with good visibility, the aircraft eventually entered an area of low cloud cover over the Eifel mountains.

At approximately 15:08, the aircraft struck high deciduous trees in a forested area near Krekel. The impact, which occurred while the aircraft was in a slight descent, caused the left wingtip to strike trees first, followed by the separation of the right wing. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and both occupants sustained fatal injuries. The wreckage was discovered the following morning in a small forest clearing.

The investigation

The BFU investigation utilized Mode C transponder data, which allowed investigators to reconstruct the flight path and altitude from the departure point up to the accident site. The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, which showed no significant issues following a major repair and annual inspection earlier that year. Medical examinations of the occupants found no evidence of impairment due to alcohol, drugs, or carbon monoxide.

Investigators also analyzed the meteorological conditions. While the flight began in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), a low-level inversion layer had created widespread fog and low stratus clouds in the Eifel region. Radar data showed that the aircraft had been flying above a solid cloud layer at altitudes between 3,300 and 4,200 ft MSL, maintaining VMC. However, the final 90 seconds of the radar track showed the aircraft turning left and descending to approximately 1,600 ft MSL.

Findings

  • The crew likely attempted to maneuver around the edge of the cloud layer to find clear air after regaining ground visibility.
  • The aircraft was in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) scenario.
  • The descent into the rising terrain occurred while the crew was navigating the edge of the cloud deck.
  • The crew likely did not realize that the low-level cloud layer was thickening or sitting lower over the mountainous terrain of the North Eifel.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) when the crew, while attempting to maneuver around the edges of a cloud layer, descended into rising terrain in low visibility.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2003-12-04 Cessna 172 P accident near Krekel, nahe OT Kall / Eifel, DE?

A flight instructor and student were killed when their Cessna 172 P struck trees during a descent through low clouds in the Eifel region.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2003-12-04 involved a Cessna 172 P, at Krekel, nahe OT Kall / Eifel, DE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) when the crew, while attempting to maneuver around the edges of a cloud layer, descended into rising terrain in low visibility.

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