Cessna 172S Missing in the North Sea

Incident Overview and Investigation Status On 30 September 2023, a Cessna 172S aircraft disappeared over the North Sea near the Shetland Islands. The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) concluded its investigation with a factual presentation, without analysis or conclusions. The aircraft and its pilot were reported missing, with no third-party damage recorded. The case file number is BFU23-0936-4X. ## Flight Details and Radar Track The aircraft departed from Uetersen/Heist airfield for a private visual flight rules (VFR) flight to Bayreuth. Instead of heading south toward the destination, the aircraft took a northwesterly course shortly after takeoff. The radar track ended after 06:19 hours of flight time, approximately 70 nautical miles southeast of the Shetland Islands. The last radar point was over international waters, leading the BBU to lead the investigation as the representative of the state of registration. Authorities from Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States participated in the investigation. ## Pilot and Aircraft Information The 62-year-old pilot held a European Union commercial pilot license for airplanes (CPL(A)) and a private pilot license for helicopters (PPL(H)). The aircraft was a 2006 Cessna 172S, a single-engine, four-seat, high-wing airplane with a fixed landing gear. It was equipped with a Garmin G1000 integrated flight control and navigation system, a Bendix/King KAP 140 autopilot, and an emergency locator transmitter (ELT). The aircraft was registered in Germany and operated by a company that used it for training and charter. ## Meteorological and Communication Data Visual flight weather conditions prevailed at the departure airfield. No radio contact was established with air traffic control or flight information services in any of the countries whose airspace was traversed. No flight plan was filed. The owner reported the aircraft missing on 1 October 2023, as it had not returned by the agreed time.