Introduction
On 5 July 1997, a Socata TB 10 aircraft crashed near Schönhagen, Germany. The accident occurred during a familiarization flight conducted by a flight instructor for a female pilot seeking type rating. The aircraft was destroyed and a fire ensued.
Flight History
The flight departed at 16:09 local time from Schönhagen airfield, runway 25. After a left-hand circuit, the aircraft performed a touch-and-go landing at 16:16. According to witnesses, the aircraft touched down at the half-runway marking and lifted off only near the displaced threshold of runway 07. The climb gradient was shallow; the aircraft passed the western tree line at very low altitude and struck trees about 1.5 km from the airfield. The aircraft crashed into the forest, broke apart, and caught fire immediately.
Injuries and Damage
The aircraft carried three persons: the flight instructor (male, 34), the pilot being familiarized (female, 27), and her husband (passenger). The female passenger sustained fatal injuries at the scene. The flight instructor suffered severe burns and later died in hospital on 17 August 1997. The husband was seriously burned but survived. The aircraft was destroyed. Minor vegetation damage occurred due to fire and fuel spill.
Contributing Factors
The official investigation could not determine the accident cause with sufficient certainty. However, contributing factors were identified: late touchdown at the half-runway marking and subsequent reduced climb performance. Possible reasons for the reduced climb performance included loss of engine power due to spark plug fouling from idle during a prolonged approach, failure to retract landing flaps for takeoff, failure to set the propeller to fine pitch, and activated carburetor heat. The aircraft had a known history of engine power loss from spark plug fouling; the owner had commented that the engine needed to be "burned free under power." On the morning of the accident, a charter pilot experienced a 450 rpm drop during a magneto test and returned the aircraft. The owner contacted the maintenance organization and attempted to obtain tools, but it was not confirmed whether any repair was performed.
Probable Cause
The probable cause could not be determined with sufficient certainty.