What happened
On June 8, 2007, at approximately 14:52 local time, a Schleicher ASK 16 motor glider departed from runway 17 at Kempten Durach airfield. The aircraft had previously landed at the airfield after a flight from Oberpfaffenhofen. During the takeoff roll, observers noted that the aircraft lifted off with noticeably low airspeed near the center runway markings.
As the aircraft entered the initial climb, the pilot attempted to execute a leftward directional correction to avoid colliding with vehicles on a nearby highway. During this maneuver, the motor glider entered a steep bank and plummeted into a bush-covered embankment of the Autobahn, located approximately 200 meters beyond the end of the runway. The impact occurred at a steep angle, causing the engine and cockpit area to compress and destroying the canopy. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, and the two occupants sustained injuries, with one person seriously injured and one person lightly injured.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the flight parameters during takeoff and the condition of the aircraft. The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the Schleicher ASK 16 had flown approximately 45 hours since its last inspection in April 2007. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience, noting a total of 453 flight hours, with only three landings performed on this specific model in the preceding 90 days.
Technical examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical failures or technical defects. The aircraft was found to have had sufficient fuel on board at the time of the accident. All structural damage to the airframe was attributed to the force of the impact with the embankment.