Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Adriatic Sea Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Friday, August 1, 2008 13:33 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On August 1, 2008, at 1333 universal coordinated time, a Piper PA-44-180 Seminole airplane, registration D-GZXB, serial no. 4496165, crashed into the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Zadar, Croatia. The two pilots on-board were fatally injured. The instructional flight departed Zadar Airport (LDZD) at an unconfirmed time. The airplane was reported missing after it failed to return from the local-area training mission. The wreckage was subsequently located southwest of the island of Mezanj, about 30 kilometers west of Zadar, Croatia. The accident investigation was initially placed under the jurisdiction of the Croatian Civil Aviation Authority (CAACRO). On April 4, 2009, the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications delegated the accident investigation in accordance with ICAO Annex 13, to the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU). The accident investigation is now under the jurisdiction of the German BFU. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information obtained for or released by the government of Germany. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigation Hermann-Blenk-Str. 16 38108 Braunschweig Germany Tel.: (49) 531 3548 0 Fax: (49) 531 3548 246 E-mail: box@bfu-web.de Web: http://www.bfu-web.de

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1333
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Adriatic Sea
Event State --
Event Country CROATIA (local name: Hrvatska)
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source CROATIA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2008 11:42AM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number CHI08WA244
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address Frankfurt Airport
Operator City Frankfurt
Operator State --
Operator Country GE
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LDZD
Departure City Zadar
Departure State --
Departure Country HR
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LDZD
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2008 11:42AM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --