What happened
In the early hours of May 1, 2004, a pilot unauthorizedly took a Cessna F 172 P from the Oldenburg-Hatten airfield. The pilot, who had previously been observed by police driving erratically in a car, gained access to the airfield by breaking a window in the unoccupied control tower. He stole the keys to a hangar and the aircraft, which was known to be fully fueled.
The flight departed at 0SB7:34 local time. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was identified by radar leaving the airfield on a southeasterly course. At approximately 08:11, the pilot contacted Hannover Tower, requesting permission to transit the control zone and perform several simulated approaches. The controller permitted two approaches to runway 09R but denied a third, instructing the pilot to turn south and maintain an altitude below 2,500 ft MSL.
Communication ceased at 08:45. For the next two and a half hours, the aircraft continued to fly over the Hannover area, with altitudes fluctuating between 500 and 4,400 ft. During this time, a police helicopter monitored the aircraft from a distance. The crew of the helicopter observed the aircraft flying in left-hand circles but noted no unusual flight maneuvers or changes in attitude; the pilot appeared unaware of the helicopter's presence.
At approximately 10:55, the aircraft began a steady, descending spiral. The left wing struck a tree at the base of a spoil heap near Ronnenberg-Empelde, leading to a collision with the slope. The impact triggered an explosion and a subsequent fire that destroyed the aircraft.
The investigation
The BFU investigation established that the pilot had been involved in a prior police encounter involving dangerous driving in a car earlier that morning. The investigation also examined the aircraft's condition and the pilot's medical state. Post-mortem analysis of the pilot revealed that the cause of death was heat shock, likely combined with inhalation trauma. Blood tests conducted during the investigation confirmed a blood alcohol concentration of 1.45 ‰ at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The pilot was operating the aircraft while heavily intoxicated.
- The aircraft was operated without authorization after being stolen from a hangar.
- No mechanical defects were found in the Cessna F 172 P.
- The pilot failed to maintain situational awareness, as evidenced by his failure to notice the observing police helicopter.