What happened
On September 26, 2018, a Tecnam P 92 Echo ultralight aircraft departed from the Arnstadt-Alkersleben airfield for a planned flight to Wasserkuppe. The pilot had prepared and fueled the aircraft the previous day. After receiving clearance for runway 27, the aircraft took off without incident.
Approximately 30 seconds after departure, the airfield controller observed the aircraft on a reverse approach roughly 700 meters south of the airfield, flying at a low altitude of 80–100 meters with a low airspeed. The pilot transmitted a distress message via radio, stating, "I have problems. I am coming back to the field," but no further communication was received as the transmission button remained pressed until impact.
During the final approach, the aircraft entered a steep turn, with the bank angle increasing to 60–70 degrees and the nose pitching down by 20–25 degrees. The aircraft's flight path overshot the approach direction. At an altitude of approximately 30–40 meters, the aircraft disappeared behind a tree line and struck the ground, triggering a post-impact fire. The crash resulted in two fatalities and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft, the flight data recorded on a tablet-based navigation app, and witness testimonies. Analysis of the Flymap software data confirmed that 20 seconds after the flight data recording began, the aircraft entered a left turn into the reverse approach. Within 9 to 12 seconds, a significant heading change from 104° to 308° occurred, accompanied by a loss of altitude. Ground speeds were recorded between 24 and 28 knots.
Physical examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine and propeller showed the first signs of ground contact. The impact site was approximately 325 meters southeast of the runway threshold. While the airframe suffered extensive fire damage, the rudder control cables and elevator control rods remained intact and functional. The aircraft's BRS 5UL emergency parachute system was not deployed during flight; it likely activated due to the post-impact fire.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying at a critically low airspeed during the final approach.
- The pilot executed an aggressive maneuver involving a high bank angle and a nose-down pitch, leading to an overshoot of the approach path.
- The aircraft struck the ground at a low altitude, followed by a significant fire.
- There was a discrepancy noted in the aircraft's total engine hours between the owner's records and the onboard hour meter.