Introduction
On 26 August 2017, at approximately 13:55 UTC, a Robin DR 400/140 B aircraft crashed at Gmunden-Laakirchen Airport (LOLU) in Laakirchen, Upper Austria. The aircraft was operated by a flying club and had departed at 13:15 UTC for a sightseeing flight with a pilot and three passengers.
Flight and Engine Problems
After about 50 minutes of flight, while at an altitude of approximately 5,500 ft near the Traunstein, the pilot experienced engine stuttering and cutouts. The pilot determined that the engine problems were due to fuel exhaustion. He decided to return directly to the airport and requested an immediate landing clearance.
Landing and Accident
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down in the last third of runway 08 and could not be stopped before the runway end. The pilot flew under a high-voltage power line extending beyond the runway and struck an opposing slope approximately 175 m after threshold 26. The aircraft came to rest with severe damage.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot and three passengers sustained partly serious injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. The aircraft sustained total damage.