Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a Cessna T303, a twin-engine, six-seat, low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear. It was powered by two turbocharged piston engines. The aircraft was equipped for instrument flight and also had a satellite-based moving map display. No onboard documents were recovered, so operating times could not be determined.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a US private pilot license with an instrument rating. According to his logbook, he had accumulated 875 total flight hours, including 325 hours under instrument flight rules. His experience on the Cessna T303 could not be established.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed from Regensburg airport as a private VFR flight, destined for Mannheim City. The pilot had filed a flight plan with code 'Z', indicating a change from VFR to IFR. The planned route included airways Grün 104 and Weiß 719 at FL120 via the Allersberg VOR to the NDB Neckar. After departure, the pilot changed to IFR. Approximately 15 minutes before the accident, he terminated the IFR portion. At about 09:00 local time, on a southwest heading, the aircraft struck a wooded hill at 1700 ft MSL near Dossenheim. The aircraft was torn apart and caught fire.
Meteorological Conditions
Witnesses reported dense cloud cover with occasional breaks. The accident site and surrounding hills were in clouds at the time. A meteorological expert report documented: ground visibility 2–4 km, dense fog at the site; the lowest cloud layer (1–3 oktas stratus) base at 800–1000 ft MSL; above that, 6–8 oktas stratus with base between 1200 and 1700 ft MSL. Several AIRMET warnings valid at the time highlighted adverse conditions. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing.
Radio Communications
About 20 minutes before the accident, the pilot contacted Frankfurt Area Control near the NDB Neckar. The controller asked about the pilot's intentions for the Mannheim approach. The pilot replied that he wanted to end the IFR flight; he did so two minutes later, received QNH 1023 hPa, and was cleared to leave the frequency. Subsequently, the pilot contacted the Mannheim tower (not recorded), stating he had found a "gap" and would proceed to the airport.
Wreckage and Impact
The first tree impact occurred in a normal flight attitude. The wreckage trail spanned about 80 m on a course of approximately 240°. Impact speed was estimated as medium to high. After the initial strike, the aircraft yawed, losing its tail, left wing, and left engine. The forward fuselage and cockpit were destroyed. Both propellers separated at the flanges, with torsional overload fractures; blade deformation indicated power at impact. The landing gear was retracted.
Fire
Both wings burned near the engines, but the fire did not spread to the fuselage. Ground fire marks were attributed to spilled fuel. Flash fire evidence from atomized fuel was noted after the wing fuel tanks ruptured.
Survival Aspects
The pilot was ejected from the aircraft during the breakup. His seat showed heavy burn marks. He was found away from the main wreckage where ground burns were minimal. However, his clothing had been soaked with fuel from the ruptured tanks and ignited, causing severe burns. He also sustained other injuries and died two weeks later.
Conclusions
According to the investigation, the pilot lost orientation while attempting to get into or maintain visual meteorological conditions and struck the wooded ridge that was in clouds.