What happened
On April 6, 2015, a Cessna 172 D crashed into a wooded area near Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany. The aircraft had departed from Ales/Deaux (LFMS) in southern France for a flight to Germany, following a refueling stop in France. The pilot had calculated a flight duration of approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes for this leg of the journey.
During the approach to the destination airfield, the aircraft was tracked by radar performing a circuit at approximately 3,200 ft AMSL. Radio communications with Zurich FIS were established, and the pilot requested to close the flight plan. However, shortly after the final radio contact, the aircraft struck tall trees. The pilot reported that the aircraft had run out of fuel approximately 500 meters before reaching the runway due to unexpected headwinds, necessitating an emergency landing in the treetops. The aircraft slid through the trees and came to rest on the ground.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's condition, and the pilot's credentials. Investigators reviewed radar data, radio transcripts, and meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation also looked into the operational status of the Neuhausen ob Eck airfield, noting that the accident occurred approximately one hour after sunset, during a period when the airfield was outside of its standard operating hours.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion resulting from headwind components that depleted the remaining fuel reserves before the aircraft could reach the runway.
- The accident occurred in total darkness, and the airfield's runway lighting was not active, as the pilot had not obtained prior permission to land outside of operating hours.
- The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without injury, though the Cessna 172 D was destroyed and damage was caused to the forest vegetation.
- The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was not activated during the event.