What happened
On June 15, 2008, a Beechcraft V35B departed from the Regensburg-Oberhub airfield for a private local flight. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and two passengers. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, witnesses observed the aircraft approaching the airfield from the north at a low altitude, noting that the engine sound was unusual or entirely absent.
During radio communications with the airfield manager, the pilot indicated his position north of the field and estimated arrival in five minutes. Shortly after the manager informed the pilot that runway 28 was active, the pilot issued a Mayday call, stating he would perform an emergency landing in a field south of the airfield. The pilot's voice was reported as calm. At 15:30, approximately 32 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft struck a cornfield roughly one kilometer from the airfield. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and three fatalities occurred.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the engine failure and the aircraft's configuration. Investigators examined the fuel system, which included additional tip tanks installed via a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). The investigation also reviewed maintenance records from a recent repair following a nose gear collapse in January 2008.
Investigators found that the fuel selector valve position did not intuitively correspond to the tank positions. Furthermore, maintenance documentation regarding the engine installation and the recent repairs was found to be incomplete or inaccurate. Specifically, there were no records of the required engine manufacturer's fuel system adjustments, and the age of the fuel and oil hoses had significantly exceeded the manufacturer's recommended service life.
Findings
- The engine failure was likely caused by fuel starvation resulting from the depletion of fuel in the right tip tank.
- The pilot had limited flight experience on this specific aircraft model.
- The fuel selector valve configuration was illogical, making intuitive switching difficult.
- Maintenance records for recent repairs were incomplete and lacked necessary documentation.
- The aircraft's fuel and oil hoses were eleven years old, exceeding recommended replacement intervals.