9 fatalities

Aircraft Strikes McDonald's and Bus in Munich, Nine Killed (D-ILRA)

Munich, GermanyLanding (descent or approach)

On August 11, 1987, a Piper PA-31 Cheyenne (registration D-ILRA) operated by Lechmetall Landsberg was involved in an aviation accident near Munich, Germany during landing or approach. 9 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It was determined that the instructor's decision to reduce power was taken at a critical stage of flight because the aircraft was approaching at a too low altitude of 200 feet and flying vertical to a populated area. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

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

A twin-engine aircraft on a training flight crashed into a McDonald's restaurant and a bus in Munich, killing three occupants and four bus passengers initially; two more later died. Thirty others were injured.

Accident Sequence

A twin-engine aircraft departed Landsberg-Penzing Airport on a training flight to Munich, carrying one passenger (a secretary of the Southern Bavarian Air Office), one instructor, and one pilot. On final approach to Munich-Riem Airport runway 07, at an altitude of 200 feet, the instructor decided to reduce power on the right engine while the pilot was expecting to initiate a go-around procedure according to the training program. The pilot elected to add power on the left engine, but the aircraft lost height, struck the roof of a McDonald's restaurant located in the district of Trudering, and eventually crashed in flames on a bus.

Victims and Damage

The aircraft, the restaurant, the bus, and several other vehicles were destroyed. Seven people were killed: all three occupants in the aircraft and four passengers in the bus. A few days later, two other victims died from their injuries. Thirty other people were injured, some of them seriously.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined that the instructor's decision to reduce power was taken at a critical stage of flight because the aircraft was approaching at a too low altitude of 200 feet and flying vertical to a populated area. Also, the pilot was expecting to initiate a go-around according to the training program.