2014 Olsberg mid-air collision explained

2014 Olsberg mid-air collision
Image Upright:1.1
Occurrence Type:Accident
Summary:Mid-air collision
Site:Olsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Total Fatalities:2 (all on the Learjet)
Total Survivors:1 (Eurofighter Typhoon)
Plane1 Image:Aircraft 30+91 (8664531669).jpg
Plane1 Image Upright:1.1
Plane1 Caption:30+91, the Typhoon involved in the collision, photographed in April 2013
Plane1 Type:Eurofighter Typhoon
Plane1 Tailnum:30+91
Plane1 Origin:Nörvenich Air Base, Germany
Plane1 Destination:Nörvenich Air Base
Plane1 Occupants:1
Plane1 Crew:1
Plane1 Survivors:1
Plane2 Image:Learjet GFD.jpg
Plane2 Image Upright:1.1
Plane2 Caption:D-CGFI, the Learjet involved in the collision, 2008
Plane2 Type:Learjet 35A
Plane2 Tailnum:D-CGFI
Plane2 Origin:Hohn Air Base, Germany
Plane2 Destination:Hohn Air Base
Plane2 Occupants:2
Plane2 Crew:2
Plane2 Fatalities:2
Plane2 Survivors:0

On 23 June 2014, a German Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet and a Learjet 35 business jet participating in a military exercise collided mid-air over Olsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The Learjet subsequently crashed to the ground with the loss of both crew members on board. The Typhoon was damaged but managed to land safely.

Collision

The accident happened at 14:38 CEST (12:38 UTC).[1] Two Eurofighter Typhoons were on exercise with the Learjet in the Elpe-Olsberg area. The Learjet was simulating a civilian airliner that had been hijacked and had broken off radio contact with Air Traffic Control, while the Typhoons were simulating a military response to such a scenario.[2] [3] [4] The lead Typhoon intercepted the Learjet, and as the latter turned to follow it, the two aircraft collided.[5] [6]

The Learjet crashed about 100m (300feet) from houses in Olsberg, killing both crew members.[7] [8] [9] The Typhoon aircraft was severely damaged, but was able to land safely at Nörvenich Air Base, near Cologne. The second Typhoon landed at Cologne Bonn Airport.

Aircraft

The first aircraft was a Eurofighter Typhoon, msn GS0070. The aircraft was built in 2012.[10] It was operated by Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 "Boelcke", Luftwaffe. It was based at Nörvenich Air Base.[11]

The second aircraft was a Learjet 35A, registered D-CGFI, msn 35A-612, which had first flown in 1986.[12] [13] It was operated by the, a subsidiary company of Airbus Defence and Space,[14] and was based at Hohn Air Base.[13]

Investigations

Investigations into the accident were carried out by the General Flugsicherheit der Bundeswehr and the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU).[11] The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the Learjet were recovered on the day of the accident, from a site 3km (02miles) from the crash site of the aircraft.[15] The data from these devices were published in the BFU's interim report in September.[16] [17] The BFU's final report into the accident was published in August 2015. It stated that the causes of the accident were:

References

BFU

Book: Interim Report. Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU). September 2014. 8 January 2015.

Book: Final Report. BFU 1X002-14. Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU). August 2015. 4 September 2015.

Notes and References

  1. "History of the Flight" (interim report, page 4).
  2. "Planned Training Procedure" (interim report, page 13).
  3. Web site: Page not found – Kantipur Video. kantipurvideos.info. 26 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141026235434/http://www.kantipurvideos.info/plane-crash-in-germany-learjet-and-eurofighter-typhoon-collides/. 26 October 2014. dead.
  4. Plane crash in Germany: Learjet and Eurofighter typhoon collides, killing one on board. 24 June 2014. YouTube.
  5. Web site: Mysterious plane crash: German military jet collides with civilian plane in routine exercise, killing one. Us.tomonews.net. NextMidia. 25 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141026233644/http://us.tomonews.net/mysterious-plane-crash-german-military-jet-collides-with-civilian-plane-in-routine-exercise-killing-one-102510167441408. 26 October 2014. dead.
  6. "Flight data analysis" (final report, pages 44–45).
  7. "Wreckage and Impact Information" (interim report, page 9).
  8. News: . German fighter and Learjet collide – one confirmed dead . 23 June 2014 . . 23 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140623203155/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27979964 . 23 June 2014 . live .
  9. News: Flugzeugabsturz im Sauerland:Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen fahrlässiger Tötung . Plane crash in Saarland: Prosecutor investigating pilot for manslaughter . de . Der Spiegel . 24 June 2014 . 24 June 2014 . 25 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140625043550/http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/learjet-kollidiert-mit-eurofighter-ermittlungen-gegen-piloten-a-977037.html . live .
  10. "Aircraft Information" (interim report, page 8).
  11. Web site: 23 June 2014. 24 June 2014. Absturz bei Anti-Terror-Übung der Bundeswehr. Crash during anti-terror exercise with the Bundeswehr. de. Bild.
  12. "Aircraft Information" (interim report, page 7).
  13. Web site: D-CGFI Accident description . Aviation Safety Network . 23 June 2014.
  14. News: Die Welt . de . Toter nach Absturz bei Luftwaffen Übung in NRW . 23 June 2014 . Deaths through collision at Air Force exercise in NRW . 23 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140624162716/http://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article129384887/Toter-nach-Absturz-bei-Luftwaffen-Uebung-in-NRW.html . 24 June 2014 . live .
  15. Web site: Eurofighter rammt bei Bundeswehr-Übung Learjet vom Himmel (2 Tote) . 24 June 2014 . Eurofighter rams Learjet on Bundeswehr exercise in mid-air (2 dead). de . Bild. 24 June 2014.
  16. "Flight Recorder" (interim report, page 9).
  17. News: Insassen des abgestürzten Learjets vermutlich tot . Occupants of the crashed Learjet presumed dead . de . . 24 June 2014 . 24 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140625054120/http://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article129423081/Insassen-des-abgestuerzten-Learjets-vermutlich-tot.html . 25 June 2014 . live .
  18. Web site: Crash of a Learjet 35A near Olsberg: 2 killed Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives . 2023-11-14 . www.baaa-acro.com.

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