What happened
Prior to the accident, a maintenance inspection of the right engine had revealed chips within the oil filter. Because the primary maintenance facility in Switzerland lacked the necessary replacement parts, the repair work was transferred to a facility in Nuremberg. On February 7, 2001, the Learjet was flown to Nuremberg, where the repairs were completed under the supervision of the operator's chief technician.
A return flight to Rome was scheduled for February 8, 2001, with a crew consisting of two pilots and the chief technician. During pre-flight preparations, the crew noted an imbalance in fuel distribution between the left and right tanks, though the total fuel volume was consistent across both sides. During these preparations, the second pilot also observed a failure in the gyro instruments.
The aircraft departed runway 10 at 15:31. Shortly after reaching an altitude of 5 nautical miles and turning south, the left engine failed at 15:33:49 without warning. The crew declared an emergency and requested an immediate return to runway 10. Despite a brief frequency change to coordinate with departure control, the crew continued their approach.
During the final approach, the aircraft was positioned slightly north of the extended centerline and above the glide path. As the aircraft passed over a main road near the town of Buch, witnesses observed the plane performing unusual maneuvers and deviating north. The aircraft then experienced a sudden stall to the left, entered a bank angle exceeding 90 degrees, and struck a forest north of the runway in an inverted position at 15:40. The impact resulted in 3 fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
- The left engine failed during the initial climb phase of the flight.
- The aircraft experienced an abrupt stall and extreme bank angle during the emergency landing attempt.