What happened
On May 27, 2013, a Piper PA39 departed from the Eisenach-Kindel airfield (EDGE) for a planned private flight to Magdeburg-Cochstedt. The flight was intended to begin under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) before transitioning to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
Shortly after takeoff from runway 28, the aircraft entered a series of turns. Radar data indicates that after an initial climb to 1,750 ft, the aircraft began a series of right-hand turns, experiencing fluctuations in altitude. During the second circuit, the aircraft reached approximately 2,250 ft before entering a steep descent. At approximately 09:27 UTC, the aircraft impacted the ground roughly 900 meters north of the runway 10 threshold. The impact resulted in the fatal injury of the pilot and the death of a dog on board. The aircraft was destroyed, and the accident caused damage to the surrounding forest and fields.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the pilot's medical history and the validity of his flight medical certification. The investigation examined the pilot's previous medical assessments, noting a history of cardiac issues, including a prior denial of medical certification due to cardiological reasons in 2010. Investigators also reviewed the regulatory environment, specifically the transition between JAR-FCL 3 and EU regulation 1178/2011, which created a complex landscape for Aeromedical Examiners (AMEs) regarding the application of medical standards.
Findings
- The pilot suffered from a tachycardic heart arrhythmia during the takeoff phase, which rendered him incapacitated and led to the loss of aircraft control.
- The pilot had a chronic, progressive structural heart disease.
- There was a lack of self-reflection by the pilot regarding how his medical condition impacted his fitness to fly.
- The medical certification process was flawed; the pilot's recent certificate had been issued without proper consideration of previous medical limitations.
- The regulatory and organizational structure for oversight was inadequate to manage the complexity of the overlapping medical regulations, which increased the risk of incorrect medical assessments.