Incident Overview
Date: Tuesday 1 February 1972
Aircraft Type: VFW/Fokker VFW.614
Owner/operator: VFW-Fokker
Registration Number: D-BABA
Location: near Bremen Airport (BRE) –
ÿ Germany
Phase of Flight: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: The VFW/Fokker VFW.614 prototype aircraft.The VFW/Fokker VFW.614 prototype aircraft.
Category: Accident
On February 1, 1972, a VFW/Fokker VFW.614 prototype experienced a severe asymmetric flutter at 220 kt and 10,000 feet during a test flight. The flutter was uncontrollable and resulted in a vertical dive, leading to the pilot’s death and subsequent crash.On February 1, 1972, a VFW/Fokker VFW.614 prototype experienced a severe asymmetric flutter at 220 kt and 10,000 feet during a test flight. The flutter was uncontrollable and resulted in a vertical dive, leading to the pilot’s death and subsequent crash.
Description
Since its first flight on July 14, 1971, the VFW/Fokker VFW.614 prototype was engaged in several test flights. Changes were made following elevator flutter problems during test flights. For the flight on February 1, 1972 the airplane had been fitted with flutter dampers. The flight test called for an asymmetric flutter at 220 kt and 10,000 feet. This time the flutter could not be eliminated by slowing down and the crew abandoned the aircraft. Co-pilot Hans Bardill was killed when his parachute failed to open. The airplane entered a vertical dive and crashed.
Source of Information
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1976/1976%20-%200680.PDFhttp://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1976/1976%20-%200680.PDFPrimary Cause
Asymmetric flutter during test flights.Asymmetric flutter during test flights.Share on:
