Incident Overview
On August 24, 2014, at approximately 14:45 local time, a mid-air collision occurred between two light aircraft over Rickenbach in the canton of Thurgau, near Wil. The incident involved a Cessna T210L registered as HB-CXK and a Piper PA-28-181 registered as HB-OQW. Both flights were operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) during cruise phase.
Aircraft and Personnel
The Cessna T210L was operated by Dünser & Partner GmbH for private use. It carried a pilot-in-command, a passenger in the front right seat, and a passenger in the middle row. The Piper PA-28-181 was owned and operated by Motorfluggruppe Thurgau for commercial sightseeing flights. It carried a pilot and three passengers.
Sequence of Events
The Piper departed from Lommis airfield at 14:08, following a planned route along the Rhine before turning south toward Zuzwil. The Cessna departed Zurich Airport at 14:33, heading east via the "Echo" excursion route. As the Cessna initiated a right-hand full circle south of Wil to adjust its position, it collided with the Piper, which was executing a left-hand turn at approximately 3500 feet AMSL.
Outcome and Investigation Findings
Following the collision, both pilots executed emergency landings. The Cessna sustained heavy damage, while the Piper was destroyed. There were no fatalities; however, one crew member and four passengers suffered serious injuries, with one additional person sustaining minor injuries. The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) concluded that the accident was caused by a lack of proactive airspace surveillance by both pilots. A systemic causal factor identified was the absence of anti-collision alert systems on either aircraft.