What happened
On September 16, 2009, a Trener Baby ultralight aircraft crashed at the Neustadt-Glewe aerodrome in Germany. The pilot had recently acquired the aircraft and had been attempting to restore it after several years of inactivity. On the evening of the accident, the pilot had previously informed the flight manager of his intention to perform engine performance tests via taxi runs, and while the flight manager had explicitly prohibited flying, the pilot intended to conduct his first flight in the aircraft that same day.
At approximately 18:45, the pilot departed from the grass runway 09. After reaching an altitude of roughly 50 meters, the aircraft turned right toward a heading of 180 degrees. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft rolled onto its left wing and entered an uncontrolled descent. Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft caught fire, which destroyed the fuselage and wings. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the aircraft's condition and the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. Investigators found that the aircraft was in an unairworthy state at the time of the accident. Documentation showed several significant technical defects, including a leaking fuel tank in the left wing, water damage to a wing rib, a defective magneto, and a defective radio. Furthermore, the engine required a complete overhaul, and no evidence was found to confirm that necessary repairs or a valid annual inspection had been performed.
While the aircraft's GPS was recovered, the high degree of destruction prevented data retrieval. The investigation also noted that the flight took place approximately one hour after the aerodrome had officially closed for the day.