Incident Overview
On April 18, 2007, a Piper PA-46-350P operated by The New Piper Aircraft Inc. crashed at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (EDSB). The investigation, conducted by the German Federal Aviation Accident Investigation Office (BFU) under case number BFU 3X036-07, determined that the aircraft was destroyed in the accident. Four people on board were injured: three sustained minor injuries, and one suffered serious injuries. No third-party damage was reported.
Flight Details and Approach
The pilot, a 46-year-old commercial pilot with approximately 950 total flight hours, departed Rome-Ciampino (LIRA) at 19:10 local time with three passengers. The flight proceeded under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) to Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden. Radar data indicated the aircraft entered the control zone at 21:38 with a speed of 182 knots and a sink rate of 2,640 feet per minute. By the time it reached the runway threshold, the speed had decreased to 137 knots, but the sink rate remained high at 1,560 feet per minute.
Accident Sequence
The pilot requested a direct approach due to low fuel concerns. Radar records show the aircraft first touched down approximately 420 meters beyond the runway threshold. During this initial contact, the nose gear hydraulic cylinder attachment failed, and the propeller struck the pavement. The aircraft lifted off again but made a second hard landing about 210 meters further along the runway, where the left main gear broke. The aircraft then slid off the right side of the runway and overturned in the grassy shoulder.
Aircraft Condition and Findings
The wreckage was found 820 meters past the threshold in an inverted position. The right wing was detached, the fuselage cone was crushed, and the tail assembly was bent. The engine was compressed, and propeller blades were bent. Landing flaps were retracted, with the control lever and indicator at zero. No fire occurred during or after the accident. Calculations suggested approximately 3.1 US gallons of fuel remained on board at the time of impact. The aircraft was not equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, as these were not mandatory for this type of operation.