What happened
A twin-engine aircraft departed from Basel-EuroAirport, bound for Hamburg, with 16 passengers and four crew members on board. During the descent toward Hamburg-Fuhlsbüel Airport, the flight encountered severe thunderstorms characterized by heavy rain and intense winds. These conditions prevented a landing in Hamburg, prompting the crew to attempt diversions to Bremen, Hanover, and Berlin-Tegel. However, deteriorating weather prevented successful landings at those locations as well.
Facing critical fuel levels, the crew notified air traffic control and was directed to Werneuchen, a former Soviet military airfield located approximately 60 km northeast of Berlin. Although the runway at Werneuchen measures 2,400 metres, it lacks approach lighting and navigational aids. Air traffic controllers specifically alerted the crew to a one-metre-high earth embankment positioned 900 metres from the runway threshold, which had been installed to prevent unauthorized racing activities.
Due to the extremely low visibility caused by the ongoing storm, the crew failed to identify the obstacle on the runway. Upon touchdown, the aircraft struck the embankment, resulting in the separation of the undercarriage. The plane slid on its fuselage for several dozen metres before coming to a halt in the center of the runway. All 20 occupants successfully evacuated the aircraft, though two injuries were reported.
Findings
The accident was driven by the inability of the crew to visually identify a runway obstruction during an emergency diversion. The lack of approach aids at the airfield, combined with the heavy precipitation and wind, obscured the presence of the earth embankment during the landing phase.