What happened
On November 2, 2012, a Cessna 150 J was performing training maneuvers at Schönhagen airfield (EDAZ). The flight, consisting of a flight instructor and a student pilot, had successfully completed two touch-and-go circuits. During the takeoff phase of the third circuit, the aircraft experienced an engine malfunction shortly after liftoff.
The instructor attempted to manage the failure by adjusting the controls and the throttle. While the engine appeared to recover briefly, allowing the aircraft to climb to approximately 20 and 200 feet, the malfunction recurred. To avoid the approach lighting at the end of the runway, the instructor maneuvered the aircraft to the left and attempted to reduce speed. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground hard and overturned.
Eyewitnesses observed a fluctuating flight path. Some reports described the aircraft flying horizontally just meters above the runway before climbing at a steep angle, followed by a significant bank and an eventual roll into an inverted position. The aircraft's right wing made initial contact with the ground during the rollover.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft, the flight logs, and the circumstances surrounding the fuel levels. The aircraft, a 1969 model, was found heavily damaged, with the airframe compressed at the front and the wings and tail surfaces deformed. The engine and cockpit remained largely intact, though the windscreen was broken.
Investigators reviewed the fuel quantities remaining in the wing tanks, which totaled approximately 15.1 liters. They also examined the flight school's logging practices and the instructor's pre-flight checks. The investigation utilized GPS data from an iPad to reconstruct the flight path and analyzed the engine's condition, noting no obvious external abnormalities in the engine or spark plugs.