Incident Overview
On February 3, 2015, a Cessna Aircraft Company Cessna 172 R (serial number 17280524) was destroyed in an accident shortly after takeoff from Augsburg Airport (EDMA). The investigation was conducted by the German Federal Aviation Accident Investigation Office (BFU) under case number BFU15-0106-3X. The aircraft, operated by a club and powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine, sustained total loss damage, while all three occupants exited the wreckage without injury.
Flight Details and Sequence of Events
The flight was a training exercise departing runway 25 at 13:03 local time. The crew consisted of a student pilot in the left seat, a flight instructor trainee in the right seat, and an experienced flight instructor as a passenger in the rear. It was the first flight for the student with this specific aircraft and instructor combination. The aircraft had been stored outdoors overnight and cleared of snow before departure; no ice was reported beneath the snow.
During the initial climb at 62–65 knots, the pilot reported that the aircraft turned sharply to the right. Attempts to correct using rudder and ailerons were initially ineffective. The aircraft continued to roll right until it struck the airport fence with its right wing and overturned onto a nearby field approximately 700 meters from the runway threshold.
Investigation Findings
The BFU examined the wreckage, which was found in a hangar after recovery. The fuselage was bent 90 degrees behind the cockpit, and the tail section was severely distorted. No technical defects were identified in the engine or control systems. Notably, frozen droplets were found on the upper surfaces of both wings during inspection, though their origin could not be determined. The investigation concluded summarily based on factual observations, as no definitive cause for the sudden right turn was established.