What happened
On May 26, 2004, at approximately 15:05 UTC, a DR400/180R powered by a piston engine was performing a glider tow departure from Kufstein-Langkampfen (LOIK). The mission involved towing an ASK 21 glider, carrying a pilot and one passenger, to an altitude of 1,300 m for aerobatic maneuvers.
At the time of the flight, weather conditions included rain and cumulonimbus clouds over the nearby Pendling mountain and the town of Kufstein. Following takeoff from runway 06, the tow aircraft climbed to a maximum altitude of approximately 45 m above airfield level, maneuvering to avoid a farm located at the end of the runway. During a right-hand turn, the aircraft crossed high-voltage power lines and subsequently struck the treetops of a tree located on a wooded slope.
The impact with the tree, which stood approximately 40 m above road level, caused the left wing of the DR400/180R to break off. Upon witnessing the collision, the glider pilot immediately released the tow rope and performed an external landing in the valley. The glider and its occupants remained uninjured.
The fuselage of the powered aircraft continued to descend for approximately 80 m, dropping an additional 26 m in elevation. During this descent, the right wing was severed after striking a birch tree. The fuselage, with the propeller still rotating, struck an earthen embankment and came to rest in a farm driveway. The pilot of the powered aircraft was thrown forward from his seat and sustained fatal injuries, passing away at a hospital in Innsbruck later that day.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) to determine the causes of the accident. The reconstruction of the flight sequence was based on statements from the participants and witnesses, findings from public safety authorities, and data retrieved from a flight logger carried within the glider.