What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2000-09-17 involved a Cessna 172 RG, at Leimen, DE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by the pilot continuing a VFR flight at a low altitude into low-hanging clouds and deteriorating visibility, leading to a controlled flight into terrain.

Four fatalities in Cessna 172 RG crash near Leimen

A flight from Nuremberg to Essen-Mülheim ended in a fatal collision with trees after the pilot continued the flight into low cloud cover.

What happened

On September 17, 2000, a Cessna 172 RG was conducting a VFR flight from Nuremberg to Essen-Mülheim with three passengers on board. Prior to departure, the pilot had contacted the destination via telephone and was informed that weather conditions were below VFR minima, with a cloud base of approximately 60 meters and visibility of 1,200 meters. Despite this information, and despite having an arrangement for a co-owner to ferry the aircraft at a later date, the pilot decided to proceed with the flight.

The aircraft departed Nuremberg at 11:53 AM. During the flight, the pilot utilized GPS for navigation. At approximately 12:43 PM, while flying in a level cruise configuration near Leimen, the aircraft struck the treetops of a forest in rising terrain. The impact caused the aircraft to break apart along a 160-meter path before the main wreckage struck the forest floor. All four occupants perished in the accident.

The investigation

The BFU investigation confirmed that the engine was producing power at the time of impact, as evidenced by propeller deformation and impact marks on tree branches. No technical failures or structural issues were found in the airframe or engine. The investigation also noted that the pilot had not sought personalized weather advisory services from the Munich center and had not established contact with any flight information services after departing Nuremberg.

Meteorological analysis revealed that the flight path was situated on the western edge of a low-pressure trough, resulting in light rain, drizzle, and haze. While visibility at ground level was between 3 and 6 km, the cloud base was low enough that the aircraft's altitude of 1,100 ft placed it within the clouds. Witnesses on the ground and a police helicopter crew confirmed the presence of low-hanging clouds and visibility of less than 1 km in the area.

Findings

The pilot continued the flight in a low cruise altitude despite encountering insufficient visibility minima.

The pilot's decision to proceed may have been influenced by the favorable weather conditions at the departure airport in Nuremberg.

Over-reliance on GPS navigation may have contributed to the failure to abort the flight when weather conditions deteriorated.

The pilot failed to seek professional weather briefings or contact flight information services during the transit.