Incident Overview
On July 16, 2008, an accident involving an ultralight aircraft occurred at Flugplatz Rendsburg-Schachtholm in Germany. The incident was classified as a crash resulting in serious injuries to both occupants and the total destruction of the airframe.
Aircraft Details
The involved aircraft was a Comco Ikarus GmbH C42, a two-seat aerodynamically controlled ultralight with fixed nose gear. Manufactured in 1999, the specific unit (serial number 9901-6135) had accumulated 1,486 total flight hours at the time of the accident. It was powered by a Rotax 912 ULS engine with 437 operating hours. The aircraft had undergone its last annual inspection on April 18, 2008.
Flight Sequence and Impact
The pilot took off from runway 21 at 18:24 local time with one passenger aboard. Shortly after liftoff, at an altitude of approximately 20 to 30 meters, the aircraft turned left toward an adjacent forest area. It entered an uncontrolled flight attitude and crashed into trees in the woodland. The pilot activated the rescue system, but it failed to deploy. Both occupants sustained serious injuries but were able to exit the wreckage under their own power.
Environmental and Site Conditions
Weather conditions at the time were reported as CAVOK (Clear And Visibility OK), with winds from 270 degrees at 14–16 knots. The crash site was located in a forest area east of the runway. Debris was scattered over an area of 7 by 15 meters, with both wings torn off and landing gear detached. Contact marks were found on trees approximately 12 meters high.