What happened
On September 14, 1996, a Scheibe SF 25 C motor glider departed from the Krefeld-Egelsberg airfield for a private flight with one passenger on board. Approximately 25 minutes into the flight, while approaching the airfield for a landing on runway 06, the aircraft entered a brief dive during the final approach. An eyewitness observed the aircraft leveling out at an altitude of 70 to 80 meters, but noted that the aircraft was traveling at high speed with flaps not extended. Shortly after crossing the airfield boundary at approximately 50 meters, the glide angle increased significantly to at least 30 degrees, and no attempt to flare the aircraft was observed.
The aircraft struck the grass runway 21 meters past the threshold, sliding for 21 meters before coming to a halt. Both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries and passed away a few hours after being recovered from the wreckage. The aircraft suffered heavy damage, particularly to the forward section.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's airworthiness, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot, aged 74, was highly experienced with approximately 950 total flight hours, including 400 landings in this specific model. An autopsy was performed, and no conclusive evidence of a medical impairment was found.
The aircraft was properly registered and maintained. Investigators noted that the takeoff mass slightly exceeded the maximum allowable weight, though the center of gravity remained within limits. No technical defects were identified as a cause for the accident. During the wreckage examination, investigators noted that the elevator trim was set in a nose-heavy position and that the right control stick was displaced and jammed under the instrument panel near the passenger's area. However, it could not be determined if these positions were caused by the impact or during the recovery of the occupants.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot failed to flare the aircraft or performed the flare too late during the final approach.
- The aircraft was flying at a high speed with flaps retracted during the final stages of the approach.
- While the aircraft was slightly overweight, this was not considered a contributing factor.
- The investigation could not rule out the possibility that the pilot's control was unintentionally or intentionally obstructed by the passenger, though no definitive evidence was found to support this.