December 9th 2024.
After over a year of being missing, a small plane has been found in the waters near Lerwick, Shetland in the North Sea. The aircraft, a German-registered Cessna 172, disappeared in September 2023 while flying from Hamburg with only one passenger on board, a 62-year-old pilot.
The discovery was made by a fishing boat on Friday, and the wreckage was brought to shore on Sunday. Upon further investigation, it was confirmed by the Air Accident Investigation Branch that the plane was indeed the missing Cessna. Sadly, human remains were found inside the wreckage.
It was reported that the pilot had originally planned to take his wife with him on the flight, but she was not present on the day of departure. The pilot did not file a flight plan, deviated from the planned route, and did not stay in touch with air traffic control. After being in the air for six hours and 19 minutes, the plane suddenly began to descend at a rapid pace of 1,000 feet per minute.
The last recorded contact with the plane was made by Norwegian air traffic control at 4.45pm on September 30, when they reported its rapid descent. A search was launched the next day when the owner of the Cessna reported it missing. However, no trace of the plane could be found during the initial search.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, the pilot had originally chartered the flight to visit relatives in Bayreuth, but instead, the flight headed in a different direction. The pilot also ceased radio contact with air traffic control once in the air. The Network's report stated that the plane began descending at 4.38pm and made several course changes before the last radar contact was recorded at 4.45pm.
The investigation also revealed that there was no contact with air traffic control or flight information services during the entire flight. The owner of the plane reported it missing on October 1, the day after it was supposed to return. It was also discovered that the pilot's wife was initially supposed to be on the flight but was informed by her husband that she would not be traveling with him.
The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation also looked into the incident and determined that the impact with the water, the low water temperature, and the lack of emergency equipment, along with the fact that the plane was not reported missing until the next day, made it difficult or even impossible for anyone to survive the accident.
A spokesperson for the Air Accident Investigation Branch confirmed that they were supporting the safety investigation being conducted by the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung of Germany. The police were also involved in the case and reported that human remains were found within the wreckage.
This tragic event serves as a reminder of the importance of proper flight planning and communication with air traffic control. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the pilot, and we will continue to assist in the investigation to determine the cause of this devastating accident.
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