On December 15, 1992, a Cessna 414 Chancellor (registration D-IHKB) operated by AL Aviation Leasing was involved in an aviation accident near Wels, Austria during takeoff. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Several instruments were not correctly set for takeoff, the pilot chose the wrong runway, visibility was below minima, and the pilot lacked an IMC licence. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A twin-engine aircraft on a positioning flight from Wels Airport struck trees after takeoff and killed all three occupants due to low visibility, incorrect instrument settings, and pilot licensing issues.
Accident Narrative
A twin-engine aircraft departed Wels Airport on a short positioning flight to Linz-Hörsching Airport, with plans to continue to Bratislava. Weather conditions were poor: fog reduced visibility to 100 metres, and runway visual range (RVR) for runway 27 was 325 metres. After taking off from runway 27, the aircraft struck tree tops located 1,125 metres beyond the runway end. It then lost height and crashed 300 metres farther, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by fire, and all three occupants were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that several instruments were not properly set for takeoff. The pilot did not select the correct runway, and visibility at the time was below minimums. Additionally, the pilot did not hold a licence permitting flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Probable cause
Several instruments were not correctly set for takeoff, the pilot chose the wrong runway, visibility was below minima, and the pilot lacked an IMC licence.