Aircraft Crash in Lake Constance During Diverted Approach (OE-FCS)

Incident Overview and Flight Details A twin-engine aircraft departed from Vienna-Schwechat Airport in the morning for a special flight to Hohenems-Dornbirn Airport. The aircraft was carrying nine passengers and two pilots, including Austrian Minister of Labor Alfred Dallinger. During descent to Hohenems Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Altenrhein Airport in Saint-Gall, Switzerland. The crew consisted of pilot Brigitte Seewald and one other pilot, while the passenger list included Dallinger and eight other individuals. ## Approach and Impact While approaching Altenrhein Airport, the aircraft passed the Altenrhein VOR at an altitude of 2,000 feet with horizontal visibility estimated at 3-4 km and nebulosity. After completing the final turn to join the glide for a runway 10 approach, the aircraft was still over clouds at a 2,000 feet QNH altitude. The aircraft then struck the water surface and crashed in Lake Constance (Bodensee) approximately 5,100 meters short of the runway 10 threshold. The wreckage was located off the village of Horn. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and all 11 occupants were killed. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the accident was probably caused by the crew continuing the approach under VFR mode in IMC conditions. Contributing factors included poor judgment of the weather situation in the approach sector, deficiency in the distribution of tasks within the crew during the final approach, and improper use of the altitude alert/preselect system and the radio altimeter. The crew was also stressed by unfavorable weather conditions and the incoming of a layer of fog, with psychological pressure due to the presence of an important personality on board.