Midair Collision at Schwäbisch Hall Involves Cirrus SR20 and D4 Fascination

Incident Overview and Location Details On April 15, 2018, a midair collision occurred at Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, involving a Cirrus SR20 and a D4 Fascination ultralight aircraft. The collision took place during the final approach phase, resulting in both aircraft crashing to the ground. The incident resulted in the fatal injuries of both pilots and the total destruction of both aircraft, with additional damage to the surrounding terrain. ## Aircraft and Pilot Information The Cirrus SR20 was a single-engine, four-seat aircraft manufactured by Cirrus Design Corporation in 2005. It was operated by a flight school and was equipped with a Mode-S transponder and a primary flight display, but did not have a collision warning system installed. The aircraft had a total operating time of 2,309 hours. The pilot was a 74-year-old male holding a private pilot license with instrument rating, with 830 total flight hours. The D4 Fascination was an ultralight aircraft manufactured by W.D. Flugzeug-Leichtbau GmbH in 2005. It was privately owned and equipped with a Mode-S transponder but lacked a collision warning system. The pilot was a 76-year-old male holding an ultralight aircraft pilot license, with approximately 400 flight hours on the D4 Fascination. ## Sequence of Events The Cirrus SR20 pilot departed Stuttgart at approximately 14:20 local time for a visual flight rules flight to Schwäbisch Hall. His objective was to practice an instrument landing system approach to runway 28 in preparation for an upcoming instrument proficiency check. The pilot made multiple radio calls to Schwäbisch Hall Info to check on instrument flight rules traffic, holding over the Dinkelsbühl VOR and aborting several approaches due to traffic. At approximately 16:15, the Cirrus SR20 began another landing approach with a long final. Simultaneously, the D4 Fascination pilot, arriving from Regensburg, joined the northern traffic pattern. The air traffic controller assigned the Cirrus SR20 as number one, the D4 Fascination as number two, and an HK36 glider as number three in the landing sequence. ## Collision and Aftermath According to radar data and radio recordings, the D4 Fascination turned from the right crosswind into the final approach before the Cirrus SR20. The D4 Fascination pilot crossed the approach baseline and then turned back into the final approach. The Cirrus SR20, approaching from the rear right at an average speed of 120 knots, collided with the D4 Fascination, which was flying at 80 knots, during the short final approach. Both aircraft impacted the ground and were destroyed. The D4 Fascination caught fire after the impact. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The weather conditions at the time were favorable, with visibility over 10 kilometers, wind from the northwest at 7 knots, and clear skies.