What happened
On March 4, 2025, at approximately 12:30 UTC, a Grumman American AA-5B was conducting a private VFR flight from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Luxembourg. The pilot had planned a technical stop at Zell am See Airport (LOWZ) in Austria to refuel.
During the final approach to runway 07, the aircraft descended at an unusually low altitude. Witnesses near the airfield reported hearing a sudden, loud, and unnatural engine roar. Shortly after this noise, the aircraft abruptly rolled to the left, with one wing pointing steeply toward the ground. The aircraft struck a field approximately 150 meters before the runway threshold. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The Austrian SUB investigation reconstructed the flight path using eyewitness testimony and physical evidence from the wreckage. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records, flight documents, and the engine components. The investigation also reviewed local meteorological data, including METAR and GAFOR reports, to assess the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Physical examination of the wreckage focused on the cockpit, the propeller, and the structural integrity of the wings.