What happened
On May 23, 2007, at 07:15 local time, a single-pilot flight departed from the Varrelbusch airfield, destined for the Fulda-Jossa landing field under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The pilot had originally planned to land at Wasserkuppe but changed the destination to Fulda-Jossa the previous evening, though the original plan was never formally canceled.
During the approach, the air traffic controller informed the pilot that visibility was poor due to high fog. Despite this, the pilot reported that he had located the airfield using a handheld GPS unit and intended to land. The American General Aircraft AG-5B touched down on the runway at 07:37 local time. After a rollout of approximately 200 meters, the pilot initiated a go-around. As the aircraft entered a right-hand turn during the initial climb, the right wing struck a group of trees. The impact caused the aircraft to crash into a nearby meadow, where it came to rest on its back.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft, the flight path recorded by Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), and the meteorological conditions. The investigation established that the aircraft, a four-seat metal low-wing monoplane, was in a good maintenance state, having undergone its annual inspection and a 50-hour check recently.
Investigators found that a branch approximately 15 cm thick had been severed from a tree and lodged in the engine block. The impact was severe enough that the engine block was nearly torn from the airframe. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's landing flaps were in the extended position at the time of the crash and that the handheld GPS unit was found in the grass near the wreckage.
Findings
- The pilot was performing a go-around maneuver that resulted in an uncontrolled climb into obstacles.
- The right wing struck trees during a right-hand turn in the initial climb phase.
- Meteorological conditions included high fog with a cloud base of approximately 300 ft AGL.
- The pilot had used a handheld GPS to navigate to the airfield after encountering reduced visibility.