History of the Flight
On 31 August 1995, at 0959 local time, the pilot, accompanied by three passengers, departed from runway 14 of Bern Airport on a private flight to Sion. Shortly after takeoff, witnesses observed a sudden pitch-up, followed by lateral instability and a left turn that progressively tightened. After completing approximately 270° of turn, the aircraft stalled on the left wing and impacted a sports field in a near-vertical attitude. A fire erupted upon impact.
Injuries to Persons
The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft was destroyed by impact and fire.
Other Damage
Grass on the sports field was damaged.
Personnel Information
The pilot, a Swiss citizen born in 1948, held a valid commercial pilot license with ratings for single-engine aircraft up to 2500 kg, VFR and CVFR. His total flying experience was 1094 hours on motorized aircraft, including 24:40 hours on the accident type. His last medical examination on 20 April 1995 found him fit without restrictions. The three passengers had no pilot licenses or experience.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft, a Robin DR400-140B (serial number 1724), was powered by a Textron Lycoming O-320-D2A engine producing 160 HP. It had a fixed tricycle landing gear. The aircraft was certified for VFR day and night operations. Its maximum takeoff mass was 999 kg; at the time of the accident, the mass was approximately 915 kg, within limits. The last 100-hour inspection was on 16 May 1995, and the last 50-hour inspection on 11 July 1995.
Meteorological Information
The weather at the accident site was clear skies, visibility more than 10 km, wind from the southeast at 2–5 knots, temperature 10°C, dew point 6°C, QNH 1021 hPa. The sun azimuth was 114°, elevation 32°.
Wreckage and Impact
The aircraft struck the ground in an almost vertical dive at the western edge of the sports field. It was largely consumed by fire, except for parts of the vertical tail. Examination of flight controls revealed no pre-existing defects. The seat belts were worn and held, though some attachments were torn. Propeller blade deformation indicated the engine was developing full power at impact. The pilot's longitudinally adjustable seat was found unsecured, with its locking pins not engaged in the seat rail holes.
Medical and Pathological Findings
Autopsy of the pilot revealed competing causes of death: brain injury and hemorrhage from chest trauma. The fire occurred post-impact. There were no signs of incapacitating disease, though coronary artery narrowing (up to 70%) was noted; however, vital reactions confirmed heart activity at the time of injury. Toxicology tests were negative for alcohol, drugs, and carbon monoxide. Autopsy of the front-right passenger showed severe injuries, including heart rupture, and hand fractures consistent with possible control input at impact. The two rear passengers died from severe head trauma.
Fire
The aircraft caught fire after impact and burned completely.
Survival Aspects
The accident was not survivable.
Tests and Research
In cooperation with the Federal Office for Civil Aviation, the seat locking mechanism design was examined on other aircraft of the same type, revealing deficiencies that could prevent automatic locking.