What happened
In the early morning hours of September 6, 2021, a Socata Rallye 180 TS took off from runway 13 at Siegerland Airport approximately 40 minutes before sunrise. The aircraft was operated by a local flying club, and the takeoff occurred outside of the airport's official operating hours.
GPS data from a collision warning device indicates the aircraft departed at 06:05 local time and immediately turned northwest. About ten minutes after takeoff, witnesses in the vicinity of Wilnsdorf-Niederdielfen observed the aircraft flying in a straight line before it suddenly entered a steep descending turn and struck a spruce forest. The impact destroyed the aircraft and caused damage to the forest vegetation.
The pilot was found on a meadow approximately 250 meters from the wreckage, where he had sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage and recovered GPS data from a collision warning device. The investigation noted that the aircraft was not equipped with a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder, as these were not required by regulations.
Physical examination of the wreckage showed that the fuselage and wings were heavily deformed and fragmented. The landing gear had been torn away, and the fuel tanks were ruptured and empty. The cockpit canopy had been detached from the airframe, and the pilot's seatbelts were found unfastened. No evidence of mechanical failure or in-flight fire was identified during the examination of the components.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating outside of the airport's scheduled opening hours.
- The flight took place during the twilight period before sunrise.
- Police and prosecutorial authorities provided information indicating the event was a suicide.
- An autopsy of the pilot revealed no medical abnormalities that would have contributed to the accident.