What happened
On a business flight originating from Linz, Austria, a Cessna Citation 750 was en route to Bratislava, Czech Republic, with a planned stopover at Egelsbach, Germany. The flight was initially conducted under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) before the crew transitioned to Visual Flight Rules (VFR) for the night approach to the airfield.
During the descent, the crew communicated with Frankfurt Approach Control and received instructions regarding the approach to runway 27. As the aircraft approached the airfield, the flight management system was updated, and the crew requested various descent levels, eventually reducing the preselected altitude to 580 feet. Flight data indicates that while the aircraft was descending, the rate of descent increased significantly, reaching 2,500 feet per minute.
At approximately 18:56 UTC, the aircraft's radio altimeter indicated 500 feet. Shortly thereafter, the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) issued multiple warnings, including "sink rate" and "terrain." In an attempt to avoid the ground, the pilot initiated a significant nose-up pitch. However, the aircraft struck trees approximately 3.6 km from the threshold of runway 27. The impact caused the aircraft to break apart and invert, eventually impacting the ground after a short slide. The aircraft was destroyed by the collision and a subsequent fire.
Findings
All five fatalities occurred as a result of the impact and fire. The investigation noted a high rate of descent and a late-stage pitch maneuver following terrain warnings. The aircraft's engines were producing steady thrust at the time of the collision.