Hamburg Harbour Seaplane Fatal Accident

[mrloop]

Two dead in seaplane crash in Hamburg - The Local (http://www.thelocal.de/national/20090822-21427.html)

The plane apparently overturned as soon as it hit the water, obviously after not approaching a landing properly a police spokeswoman in the northern German city said.

It was not known whether the plane was due into Hamburg or whether the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.

He managed to escape from the submerged cockpit, uninjured but in a state of shock. The two passengers were not able to get out by themselves. Rescue divers were deployed to pull them from the plane and medical teams tried to resuscitate them en route to hospital.

But the 52-year-old woman died shortly after arriving at the hospital while her husband died a few hours later. They were reportedly visitors from Bremen. The previous pleasure flight operation ended in tragic circumstances when the DHC2 Beaver crashed in 2006

[pilotbear]

Looks from the picture and I am waiting to be shot down as usual, but the wheels are extended and if you land like that sadly, it will overturn immediately it touches the water.
There is a youtube video which I am not going to post of a similar accident. I have also seen it happen.
This may not be the case here and the recovery process may have caused this impression.
It is very difficult to get out under the water without practice especially from the rear.:sad:

[Tinstaafl]

It does look like the wheels are down, doesn't it? Wheels UP for water is even more important than wheels DOWN for land.

[pilotbear]

I'm afraid that that is quite right. Shame if that was the case. Generally Seaplanes are safer because you can land on land in an emergency. Even ones without wheels because it won't nose over. Whereas you can't really land a wheeled plane on water (except Airbuses:E)

[Newforest2]

Todays newspaper photos show the plane prior to landing with wheels extended.

[mrloop]

German press report based on Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) report (in German):
Absturz von Wasserflugzeug durch Pilotenfehler - Nachrichten welt_print - Vermischtes - Hamburg - WELT ONLINE (http://www.welt.de/die-welt/vermischtes/hamburg/article5024666/Absturz-von-Wasserflugzeug-durch-Pilotenfehler.html)

Summary - No technical defects found. Pilot error. Discussion whether confusion over three greens (gear out for runway landing) or blue lights (for water landing) and status of warning system. Experienced pilot but only 36 hours on seaplanes.

[emzw55]

Hello

Slightly off topic but still relative - can anyone give me a link to the report of the "himmelschreiber" DHC beaver seaplane crash in 2006???

I tried the BFU website, but could not find anything?? :confused: It seems they do not publish very many reports - i only had to scroll halfway down the page and i was already at the 2002 mid air crash at Uberlingen.

Is there anywhere else they might publish these reports?

I am quite interested as i was living in Hamburg at the time and one of my first thoughts when i arrived in the city was that beautiful sound of the beaver flying around, then one day, no more....

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[His dudeness]

Thats all I could find, just the facts, no report.

http://www.bfu-web.de/cln_007/nn_223968/DE/Publikationen/Bulletins/2006/Bulletin2006-07,templateId=raw,property=publicationFile.pdf/Bulletin2006-07.pdf

[HermanTheGerman]

BFU told me months ago that they are not finished yet with the investigation of the Beaver accident. Therefore the report is not yet published.

I knew the pilot personally very well and months after the accident I was told that a loose petrol-tube on the carburetor was the cause of the accident.

It that is true- I don't know and want to check the report as well.

[Kerosene Kraut]

I have witnessed the Hamburg-Beaver months before it's crash at Hamburg back then myself (don't know about the pilot that day). It DID fly reckless and dangerous, passing harbour-sightseeing ships extremely low level, passing pedestrians on public sidewalks very low, flying between streetlight-poles for "Fleet"-touchdowns within the harbour and not leaving room for any error or technical malfunction.

I think the Cessna guys tried a very different approach afterwards. New airplane and more conventional flying.

[emzw55]

Wow, interesting stuff, thanks for the update guys. I am suprised that even after 3.5 years they are still investigating.

Reckless flying or no reckless flying, an engine failure at 500 feet over a railway yard doesnt leave too many options :bored:

I'm sure we will find out more through the report...unfortunately im not so good at reading german, even though i lived there :E

For me (as a semi-tourist/resident) the Beaver was an icon of the city - the sound of that radial engine over a the beautiful harbour bouncing off the old buildings. However, i haven't been back there since the C206 has been operating.

I understand that Joerg was quite well known....does the himmelschreiber cafe still operate at EDDH? and his wife operates it correct?

Thanks again for everyones replies

[HermanTheGerman]

The Himmelsschreiber Café is still open, yes. But it was bought by another company and is operated by them. It is now much bigger and they offer even catering for GA-flights.

Joerg's wife has nothing to do anymore with aviation. I heard that she is happy now with a new job in TV business.