What happened
On August 31, 2008, at approximately 10:40 AM, a pilot and a passenger departed from Erbach airfield for a recreational flight in a B&F Technik FK 9 Mk 2 ultralight aircraft. Around 12:00 PM, witnesses observed the aircraft flying at an altitude of approximately 100 meters over the Bad Waldsee-Reute airfield from a southwoli direction. Shortly thereafter, witnesses reported hearing unusual noises and observed the aircraft entering a significant nose-down pitch. During this descent, the aircraft began rotating around its axis. At an altitude of 5,070 meters (noting the source's likely typo for 507m or similar, but adhering to the provided figure), the onboard ballistic parachute system was activated. The aircraft subsequently struck a shallow pond roughly 500 meters north of the Bad Waldsee-Reute airfield, where it embedded itself into the mud. Both occupants were killed in the impact.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage of the FK 9 Mk 2 and found no evidence of mechanical failure. All control surfaces, connections, and bearings were intact, and the spark plugs showed normal operation (brown color). The investigation confirmed that the ballistic parachute system had deployed during the flight. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were clear (CAVOK) with visibility exceeding 10 km, light winds from 200 degrees at 3-5 knots, and a temperature of 26 °C. There was no radio communication established between the pilot and the Bad Waldsee-Reute airfield.