What happened
On July 29, 1999, a Cessna 152 departed Hamburg for a training flight to Uetersen. The aircraft was occupied by a flight instructor and a student pilot. During the final approach to runway 09 at the destination airfield, the aircraft's descent was interrupted by a climb. According to an eyewitness, the high-wing aircraft was pushed into a steep descent before the minimum airspeed was even reached. The aircraft struck the grass runway with a high pitch angle, 55 meters beyond the start of the runway, and was destroyed. The flight instructor sustained fatal injuries, while the student pilot survived with serious injuries.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage and the flight circumstances. Investigators found no evidence of technical malfunctions, particularly regarding the elevator controls, although an elevator trim cable had snapped due to the impact. The landing flaps were extended at the time of the accident. The engine was at idle upon impact, as evidenced by the deformation of the propeller. The adjustable seats were properly locked in their tracks, preventing any unintended movement during the flight.
Medical examinations of the instructor revealed extensive global arteriosclerosis and old myocardial scarring, though no evidence of a fresh heart attack or sudden angina pectoris was found. Toxicology reports for alcohol, drugs, and carbon monoxide were negative. While the student pilot initially had no memory of the event, a later written account stated that the instructor had decided to execute a go-around and applied power, causing the aircraft to climb steeply before immediately descending.
Findings
- The aircraft was functioning correctly, and no technical defects were identified.
- The accident was caused by either an underspeed condition during a go-around maneuver or an extreme nose-down elevator input at low altitude, leading to the high-pitch impact.