What happened
On May 22, 2018, at approximately 11:29 local time, a Reims Aviation S.A. F172N, registered PH-SBM, was conducting a proficiency check flight. The aircraft departed from Rotterdam The Hague Airport and proceeded on a northeastern heading toward the Gouda low flying area. During the flight, the aircraft entered the low flying zone southwest of Stolwijk. While performing a maneuver within this area, the aircraft transitioned into a vertical flight attitude. This sudden change in flight path caused a rapid loss of altitude. During the subsequent descent, the aircraft struck several trees, which resulted in the left wing detaching from the fuselage. The aircraft continued for roughly 200 meters before impacting the ground. The impact resulted in two fatalities, as both the pilot and the examiner were killed. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash.
The investigation
The Dutch Safety Board examined the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. Investigators focused on the flight path and the specific maneuvers being performed in the low flying area. The investigation looked into the aircraft's transition into vertical flight and the subsequent inability to maintain level flight. While the investigation confirmed the aircraft's descent was caused by the vertical attitude, the exact trigger that caused the aircraft to enter this vertical state could not be determined with certainty.