What happened
On September 11, 2014, a Comco Ikarus C 42 C ultralight aircraft was engaged in a cross-country flight between Gießen-Lützellinden and Pirmasens. After landing in Pirmasens, the aircraft departed again at 14:15 for a return flight to Gießen-Lützellinden. Radar data tracked the aircraft performing several course changes, eventually flying toward the east and then south. During the descent, the aircraft passed north of the Schweighofen airfield at an altitude of approximately 1,200 ft.
At approximately 14:36, the aircraft entered the final approach for runway 26 at the Schweighofen airfield. A witness observed the aircraft in a descent from roughly 1,000 ft, noting that the engine sound appeared normal. However, another witness reported seeing the aircraft fall almost vertically toward the ground, observing what appeared to be an opening parachute on the left side of the aircraft. The aircraft struck a harvested field west of the airfield, where it impacted the ground and caught fire. Both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries due to the impact.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft wreckage, radar data, and meteorological reports. The wreckage was found in a burnt-out state on a field approximately 600 meters west of the airfield boundary. Investigators noted an S-shaped burn pattern leading to the final resting position of the wreckage. The investigation also reviewed weather station reports from Neustadt Weinstraße and radar imagery from the German Meteorological Service (DWD).
Findings
At the time of the accident, the area around Schweighofen was experiencing severe weather, including heavy rain and wind gusts. While the aircraft's approach was initially observed as normal, dark clouds containing heavy precipitation and wind gusts were moving through the area from the north-northeast. Radar imagery confirmed that heavy rain and intense precipitation cells were present at the time of the accident, covering the accident site. While the aircraft's engine and approach appeared stable initially, the presence of intense convective activity and heavy rain in the immediate vicinity coincided with the aircraft's final descent and impact.