What happened
On the night of August 26, 2011, a Cessna F 172 N was performing a flight as part of an open-air theater event at the Oehna airfield. The pilot departed from runway 08, initially turning north before flying over the airfield and then heading west. During the flight, an observer noted that the aircraft was flying very low, and the position lights suddenly shifted to a vertical orientation before disappearing from view.
Following a search, the wreckage was discovered in a gravel pit approximately 1,600 meters west of the runway 08 threshold, within the final approach pattern. The impact was severe, resulting in the death of the pilot and the total destruction of the aircraft. The wreckage showed that the aircraft struck the ground at a high speed and a shallow angle, with the right main landing gear making the initial contact.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's experience, and radar data from the Bundeswehr. The Cessna F 172 N was found to be properly maintained, with its last airworthiness inspection completed shortly before the accident. The engine and ignition systems were inspected and showed no signs of functional failure.
The pilot was fully licensed for single-engine landplanes and held a valid medical certificate. While the pilot had extensive total flight experience, his recent night flying experience was very limited, with only 17 minutes logged on this specific aircraft type in the preceding days. Meteorological data indicated clear skies and good visibility, though it was a very dark night due to the absence of moonlight.
Findings
- The pilot was flying at a speed below the stall threshold during the final approach.
- The failure to extend the landing flaps contributed to the premature stall of the wings.
- The lack of a natural horizon and the absence of moonlight likely led to a loss of situational awareness regarding altitude and pitch.
- The aircraft entered an uncontrolled flight state following the stall, leading to the fatal impact.