Incident Overview

Date: Monday 26 July 2021
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208 Supervan 900
Owner/operator: Skydive Binz
Registration Number: D-FLEC
Location: S off Norderney Airfield (NRD) – ÿ Germany
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Component Affected: Aircraft ? Cessna 208 Supervan, specifically the control systems and navigation equipment during the descent and landing phases.Aircraft ? Cessna 208 Supervan, specifically the control systems and navigation equipment during the descent and landing phases.
Category: Accident
On October 26, 2023, a Cessna 208 Supervan skydiver, D-FLEC, crashed into the waters of the Wadden Sea near Norderney island, Germany, during a planned drop of 12 skydivers. The pilot, who was fatally injured, initiated a left-hand descent turn and subsequently lost altitude. Radar confirmation of the turn and subsequent descent led to the aircraft impacting the water. The aircraft was last detected as a secondary radar signal approximately 232 feet above sea level, exhibiting a ground speed of around 150 kt.On October 26, 2023, a Cessna 208 Supervan skydiver, D-FLEC, crashed into the waters of the Wadden Sea near Norderney island, Germany, during a planned drop of 12 skydivers. The pilot, who was fatally injured, initiated a left-hand descent turn and subsequently lost altitude. Radar confirmation of the turn and subsequent descent led to the aircraft impacting the water. The aircraft was last detected as a secondary radar signal approximately 232 feet above sea level, exhibiting a ground speed of around 150 kt.

Description

A Cessna 208 Supervan skydiving plane, D-FLEC, was destroyed when it impacted the waters of the Wadden Sea near Norderney island, Germany. The sole pilot onboard was fatally injured. At 12:54 hrs local time, the pilot took off from Borkum Airfield. On board were the pilot and 12 skydivers, which were dropped at FL 140 above Norderney Island. It was planned to drop the skydivers, land at Norderney Airfield, pick them up again and then fly back to Borkum. At about 13:05 hrs, after the airplane had reached the dropping altitude above Norderney Airfield on a westerly heading, ground speed decreased to marginally below 100 kt and the skydivers were dropped. One minute later, in agreement with the radar controller, the airplane began a left-hand descent turn to a south-easterly heading and started to decrease altitude. Mean rate of descent was 4,000 ft/min and mean ground speed 160 kt. At 13:07 hrs at FL 90, the pilot signed off with the radar controller. At the time, the airplane reached the main land on a south-eastern heading. The descent was conducted as drawn-out left-hand turn in order to overfly the dyke on a north-western heading towards Norderney. Once he reached the Wadden Sea again, the pilot began to decrease rate of descent and speed and radioed Norderney Airfield for the base leg of runway 26. At 13:09:49 hrs, the airplane was last captured as secondary radar signal at 232 ft AMSL with a ground speed of about 150 kt by military radar. Several witnesses, who were on land, at the island or close by on the water, told about an airplane flying with high speed low above the mud flat. One witness, who was on his boat in close proximity, observed the approach and crash. He stated that the airplane had flown into the water in swift straight flight with consistent engine and propeller noises and a pitch angle of about 30ø. Immediately after the impact it had overturned and come to rest in the water some hundred meters past the impact point.

Source of Information

https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/104233/4978686, https://www.nwzonline.de/plus-ostfriesland/norderney_a_51,2,2808254188.html, https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=3d66c6&lat=53.673&lon=7.318&zoom=11.8&showTrace=2021-07-26&trackLabelshttps://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/104233/4978686, https://www.nwzonline.de/plus-ostfriesland/norderney_a_51,2,2808254188.html, https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=3d66c6&lat=53.673&lon=7.318&zoom=11.8&showTrace=2021-07-26&trackLabels

Primary Cause

Pilot error and navigational error during a planned descent turn.Pilot error and navigational error during a planned descent turn.

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