2013 Piper PA-46 Malibu accident near Augsburg

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 19 June 2013, a Piper PA-46 Malibu aircraft crashed near the Augsburg airfield in Germany. The pilot, a 57-year-old private pilot, departed from Rottweil-Zepfenhan at 08:47 local time for Augsburg. After passing Ulm, the pilot reported engine interruptions that indicated a lack of fuel supply. Switching the electric fuel pump to the “High” position restored normal engine operation. The pilot then reported an uneventful continuation of the flight and contacted the Augsburg tower at 07:12:34 UTC to request landing clearance. The aircraft overflew reporting points WHISKEY 1 and WHISKEY 2 before the final approach to runway 07. ## Approach and Crash Sequence The last radar signal was recorded at 07:26:04 UTC at approximately 1,900 ft AMSL. At 07:26:34 UTC, the pilot confirmed landing clearance for runway 07 and stated that the runway was in sight. The pilot configured the aircraft for landing without reporting any technical failure at that time. However, the pilot had not returned the electric fuel pump from “High” to “LOW” to ensure continuous fuel supply during the approach. When attempting to increase engine power during the approach, the engine did not respond. The pilot, flying at a very low altitude, initiated an emergency landing. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying very low with a normal engine sound at low RPM. The right wing collided with an 8-meter-high wooden double mast, and the aircraft touched several trees before impacting the ground. The pilot was seriously injured, and the aircraft was heavily damaged. ## Aircraft and Pilot Information The aircraft was a Piper PA-46-310 P Malibu, a six-seat, single-engine low-wing metal aircraft with retractable landing gear and a pressurized cabin. It was powered by a 6-cylinder Teledyne-Continental TSIO-520-BE engine with 210 kW (310 PS) and a variable-pitch four-blade propeller. The aircraft was registered in Germany and operated by a German company. The pilot held a private pilot license (PPL(A)) issued under ICAO guidelines, valid until 01.07.2013, and a single-engine land (SEP land) rating valid until 06.10.2013. He also held an instrument rating and a US private pilot license valid only based on his German license. The pilot had approximately 2,200 hours of total flight experience, with only 1 hour and 19 minutes on the affected piston-engine model, including three takeoffs and two landings. In the last 90 days, he had flown approximately 48 hours. ## Investigation Findings The accident site was located approximately 1,123 meters west of the runway 07 threshold and 95 meters south of the approach centerline in a residential area with trees, hedges, and fences. The wooden mast showed collision marks at the top and lay at a 45-degree angle on a carport. The engine was torn from its mounts, and three of the four propeller blades were broken at the roots. The right wing was torn off near the landing gear and lay 4 meters to the right of the fuselage. The cockpit instrument panel was damaged, and the throttle lever was in the full throttle position. The fuel selector was on the left tank, and the electric fuel pump switch was in the “High” position. Several handwritten notes on engine operation and configuration were found in the cockpit, including the note “Pump critical.” The fuel system contained fuel, and the filter was undamaged and clean. The spark plugs were functional but heavily fouled. The fuel pump was damaged in the accident, preventing a determination of its performance. No fire was observed during the flight or after the impact.