On August 25, 1971, a Rockwell Aero Commander 500 (registration OE-FAG) operated by Private Austria was involved in an aviation accident near Trostberg, Germany in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot attempted an emergency descent through thunderstorm activity which led to a collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A single-engine aircraft crashed into hilly terrain near Trosberg while the pilot was attempting an emergency landing due to severe weather.
What happened
While traveling from Austria toward Germany, a flight encountered intense meteorological disturbances characterized by thunderstorm activity. In response to these deteriorating conditions, the pilot initiated a descent to a lower altitude. During this maneuver, the pilot attempted to perform an emergency landing; however, the aircraft type impacted hilly terrain in the vicinity of Trosberg.
Findings
The flight was operating in environments with active thunderstorms.
The crew attempted an unplanned landing due to the weather.
The impact resulted in two fatalities among the occupants.
Probable cause
The pilot attempted an emergency descent through thunderstorm activity which led to a collision with terrain.
An X-AIR HAWK ultralight crashed in Chonburi, Thailand, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger. The accident was caused by deteriorated wing fabric and…
A Challenger II Special ultralight aircraft (U-B23) landed off-runway at Pai Airport, Mae Hong Son, on September 17, 2024, due to a gust of wind. No injuries…
The Polish aviation safety authority is investigating a serious incident involving an AT-3R100 aircraft that occurred on September 2, 2024. The investigation…
A SZD-48-3 glider suffered damage when its left wing struck a ground obstacle during a low final approach at EPWK on June 20, 2025. The pilot was uninjured.
A 39-year-old skydiver died after a hard landing near Leszno on May 1, 2026. The PKBWL preliminary report indicates the fatal impact resulted from a late,…
A student pilot crashed an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider into the airfield fence during a solo training flight on June 6, 2026. The pilot was uninjured, but the…