Shortly after take-off at Stuttgart Airport, a small plane crashes in a forest in the Boeblingen district. Three people die. The investigation into the cause could take a long time.
Steinenbronn – After the crash of a small plane in the Böblingen district (Baden-Württemberg) with three dead, the investigation into the cause of the accident continues. Why the plane crashed on Saturday morning shortly after take-off in Stuttgart is still unclear, said a police spokesman on Sunday afternoon.
New information is not expected before Monday. The spokesman also gave no information about the identity of the three fatalities. Rescue workers, including from the Technical Relief Organization, were mainly busy on Sunday with the recovery of the wreckage from the forest near Steinenbronn. According to the police, this should be completed on Sunday if possible. “But that takes a little longer,” said a police spokesman in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the cause of the crash continued. After an expert from the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) had already started work on Saturday lunchtime as an “advance command” at the crash site, two other experts later joined the team, according to a BFU spokesman.
Until Monday, “primarily photographs, documents, measurements and witnesses will be interviewed – similar to a traffic accident,” said the BFU spokesman. In order to determine the cause of the crash, various areas would be examined: the pilot of the small aircraft and his flight experience, possible damage or defects to the machine and the external conditions at the time of the crash.
According to the BFU spokesman, it could still take a while for the investigations to be concluded: “We always strive to conclude such an investigation within twelve months.” An interim report is expected for the end of September.
The “Piper” aircraft took off from Stuttgart airport at 9.40 a.m. on Saturday morning, and a few minutes later it crashed into a forest near Steinenbronn. According to the police, the dead found at the crash site are “presumably” the pilot of the machine and two inmates.
According to an initial report from the German Air Traffic Control (DFS), the single-engine machine was on its way to Magdeburg. “The pilot did not make an emergency call,” said a DFS spokeswoman on Saturday. Shortly after take-off, the pilot reported to the control center in Langen, after which the machine disappeared from the radar. dpa
