Incident Overview
On May 27, 2012, a Socata Groupe Aerospatiale TB 10 experienced a fatal accident near Konstanz, Germany. The single-engine, four-seat low-wing aircraft was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) for a private journey. During the takeoff roll from grass runway 30 at Verkehrslandeplatz Konstanz (EDTZ), the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude and collided with trees approximately 340 meters beyond the runway end.
Flight Details and Observations
The pilot, a 48-year-old holder of a Private Pilot License (PPL(A)), took off at 08:55 local time with one passenger on board. Witnesses reported that the nose wheel was raised at low speed during the roll. The aircraft briefly lifted off near the half-runway mark but touched down again before continuing to roll for approximately 200 meters. It eventually became airborne but did not gain significant height, passing over a row of bushes about 150 meters from the runway end at very low altitude.
Impact and Damage
The aircraft struck tree canopies at a height of 12–14 meters, followed by a second collision with trees at roughly eight meters. It then impacted dense underbrush. The left wing was torn open, damaging the fuel tank, while the engine detached from its mount and lodged in the roots of a bush. A fire broke out after the impact, which was extinguished by firefighters. Both occupants sustained serious injuries.
Aircraft and Environmental Conditions
The aircraft, manufactured in 1980 with serial number 148, had a total operating time of 3,362 hours. The pilot had approximately 32 hours of experience on this specific type. Weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with calm winds, visibility exceeding ten kilometers, and a temperature of 18 °C. The runway was noted as uneven in the airfield handbook.