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Częstochowa-Rudniki Skydiving Aircraft Crash (N11WB)

Częstochowa-Rudniki, PolandTakeoff (climb)

On July 5, 2014, a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo (registration N11WB) operated by Omega Skydiving School was involved in an aviation accident near Częstochowa-Rudniki, Poland during takeoff. 11 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The official findings identified that the aircraft was operated without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine aircraft crashed after a left engine failure during a skydiving flight at Częstochowa-Rudniki Airport, killing 11 people and injuring 3.

Incident Overview and Flight Details A twin-engine aircraft was conducting a series of skydiving flights at Częstochowa-Rudniki Airport in Silesia. The aircraft departed from runway 26C with a crew of one pilot and 11 skydivers on board. During the initial climb, the pilot encountered technical problems with the engines at an altitude of 100 metres and decided to make an emergency landing. The pilot informed the passengers of the emergency situation and reduced the aircraft's altitude. As the aircraft rolled to the left to an angle of 70 degrees, it stalled and crashed into a wooded area, where it burst into flames. The wreckage was located 4,200 metres past the end of the runway. Three skydivers sustained serious injuries, while nine other occupants were killed. A few minutes later, two of the survivors died from their injuries.

Probable cause

The official findings identified that the aircraft was operated without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. A left engine failure during initial climb, caused by a crankshaft failure, led to a propeller malfunction that could not be feathered, resulting in asymmetry and a stall condition. Damage to the pin clutch connecting the crankshaft to the drive shaft of the right engine transmission may have been caused by an earlier propeller blade impact with an obstacle or a long-term fatigue process due to uneven engine operation. Additional contributing factors included improper maintenance, low power from the left engine due to improper operation, fuel that did not meet engine manufacturer requirements, aircraft modifications in violation of its Type Certificate, and high ambient temperature.
Maintenance error

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