What happened
On August 28, 2011, a privately operated Cessna 150F departed from Reichelsheim for a flight to Aschaffenburg airfield. The pilot was accompanied by a passenger. Following the departure, the pilot performed a circuit in a go-around pattern before proceeding on a VFR route toward the destination, located approximately 25 nautical miles away.
During the flight, radar tracking indicated that the aircraft began descending from 2,500 ft AMSL, with its airspeed dropping significantly from 80 knots to 40 knots. At 10:28 AM, the pilot contacted Aschaffenburg Air Traffic Control to report an engine failure, noting that the engine was running on only two cylinders. The pilot requested an emergency landing and stated they were three minutes north of the airfield at an altitude of 2,000 ft.
Despite instructions from air traffic control to proceed via the shortest route to runway 26, the aircraft continued its descent. At approximately 10:34 AM, the aircraft crossed the A3 motorway near the Main Bridge at an altitude of roughly 1,100 ft AMSL, which was 300 ft below the standard circuit height for Aschaffenburg. Shortly thereafter, the pilot performed an emergency landing on a street within a residential area in Stockstadt am Main.
The aircraft struck several obstacles and a parked car before coming to rest in a nose-up position with a collapsed nose gear. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft, including bent wings and a shattered windshield, and resulted in damage to buildings and property on the ground.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the flight path using secondary radar data and radio communications between the pilot and Aschaffenburg Air Traffic Control. The investigators also inspected the wreckage at the accident site, noting the condition of the engine, propeller, and fuel system. An examination of the spark plugs revealed uneven combustion patterns, with electrodes in cylinders 1 and 4 appearing black and sooty.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a partial engine failure (running on two cylinders).
- The pilot performed an emergency landing in a residential area rather than returning to the airfield.
- Both occupants sustained minor injuries.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage, and there was damage to ground structures and vehicles.