What happened
On January 17, 2001, a Beechcraft 95-D55 was conducting a training flight for a multi-engine rating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) near Rendsburg-Schachtholm, Germany. The flight, which originated from Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel, included a flight instructor and a trainee.
At approximately 10:49 AM, the aircraft performed a touch-and-go maneuver on runway 03. After the initial touchdown and subsequent takeoff attempt, the aircraft began a shallow climb. During this phase, the aircraft entered a steep right-hand turn and subsequently stalled. The aircraft struck the marshy ground with its right wing, followed by the right engine, the nose of the fuselage, and the left engine. The impact caused the engines to separate from the airframe. The trainee was ejected from the cockpit area and sustained light injuries, while the flight instructor remained in the wreckage and suffered serious injuries.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft's configuration and the crew's actions. Investigators found that the aircraft was airworthy and that the necessary fuel for the flight was on board. However, several critical settings were incorrect. The magneto switches for both engines were set to the left magneto, preventing the engines from producing full power. Additionally, the fuel selector for the right tank system was set to the right auxiliary tank rather than the main tank.
Analysis of the fuel levels indicated that the fuel in the main tanks had dropped below the manufacturer's minimum requirement of 49 liters for takeoff, as fuel was not being properly drawn from the main tanks during the flight.