What happened
On May 12, 2006, a Scheibe/SF 25C motor glider departed from the Oehna airfield to perform sightseeing flights for two passengers. During the pre-flight preparations, the pilot initially failed to start the engine because the ignition switch had not been engaged; however, a technician assisted, and the engine started successfully after the error was corrected. The pilot then performed various functional checks at the runway holding point before taking off from runway 26 at 17:55 local time.
An observer in the vicinity noted that the aircraft appeared to be flying unusually slowly during its departure. Approximately one hour later, the wreckage was located in a field roughly 2.3 km west of the airfield. The impact was severe, causing the destruction of the aircraft and the two fatalities of the occupants.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft's technical condition, the pilot's experience, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators found no mechanical failures in the engine or flight controls. The engine was found to have been running under load at the moment of impact. The investigation also focused on the aircraft's weight and configuration, noting that the flaps were extended at the time of the crash.