What happened
On June 25, 1964, a Piper Cub J-3, registration HB-ODI, was engaged in a private sightseeing flight from Schmitten airfield. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and one passenger. The flight commenced at approximately 21:00 UTC during twilight conditions under favorable weather.
As the flight progressed, the operation extended past the established daytime limit of 21:15 UTC. During the landing approach, the pilot misjudged the aircraft's position relative to the runway. This resulted in the aircraft striking a grain field approximately 100 meters short of the runway threshold. The impact caused the aircraft to perform a nose-over, resulting in significant damage to the airframe. Both occupants of the aircraft remained uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation established that the flight was conducted without the necessary night flight authorization or night flight permit. The commission examined the sequence of events leading to the landing error and the timing of the flight relative to the transition from day to night operations.