What happened
On 11 January 2014, an aircraft departed from Shoreham Airport at 10:00 UTC for a flight originally intended to land at Trier-FHD, with Luxembourg Airport as an alternate. The flight was initially planned under IFR rules, with a transition to VFR scheduled at the PITES reporting point. During the flight, the pilot in command requested a descent and was cleared to fly direct to the destination under VFR conditions.
Radar tracking showed the aircraft descending through various altitudes, including FL170 and FL140, as it progressed toward its destination. Near the city of Wittlich, the aircraft performed a series of turns, eventually heading south. As the aircraft approached the vicinity of the Salm river valley, witnesses observed the plane flying at a very low altitude, estimated at only 15 to 20 meters above the treeline, beneath a layer of fog. Witnesses reported hearing an increase in engine thrust and seeing the aircraft bank left before it disappeared into the fog, followed by the sight of fire and the sound of an impact.
The aircraft struck the ground in an inverted position. There were 4 fatalities among the two pilots and two passengers on board, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
Prior to departure, the pilot had been informed by the airfield manager at Trier-Föhren Airfield that severe fog was present and that visibility was not expected to improve until later in the afternoon. Despite this information, the flight proceeded toward the fog-shrouded destination. Witnesses noted the aircraft was flying at an extremely low altitude, navigating through heavy fog and near power lines, which contributed to the impact with the terrain.