What happened
On April 29, 2014, at 11:32 local time, a homebuilt Europa aircraft crashed near Lübeck Airport (EDHL). The aircraft was engaged in its third flight as part of an ongoing experimental testing program. On board were the aircraft's builder and a flight test pilot.
Prior to takeoff, the crew informed air traffic control that they intended to climb to 5,000 ft AMSL using maximum power to perform a airspeed indicator calibration. The takeoff from runway 07 proceeded normally. However, at an altitude of approximately 50 meters, the aircraft entered a steep right turn and plummeted south of the airport perimeter fence. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft in a "knife-edge" attitude with the nose pointed sharply downward. The aircraft struck a field, resulting in one fatality and one serious injury. The passenger seat occupant, the flight test pilot, died from a cervical spine fracture, while the builder sustained serious injuries.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage and the aircraft's flight history. Investigation of the engine, including borescope inspections and a subsequent test run on a test bench, confirmed that the engine was operational at the time of the accident. While the propeller shaft was found to be bent due to the impact, no engine failure was identified as the cause. GPS data recovered from the aircraft indicated that the aircraft had reached a safe airspeed of approximately 75 kt after takeoff. The investigation also reviewed previous flight test logs, which noted past issues with engine roughness and electrical trim malfunctions, though recent logs suggested these had been addressed.
Findings
- The engine was functioning normally at the time of the accident.
- The aircraft reached a safe airspeed shortly after takeoff.
- There was no evidence of control system failure.
- The aircraft entered an uncontrolled flight attitude at a low altitude.