Vienna - Hamburg

The twin engine airplane departed Vienna-Schwechat Airport on a training flight to Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel, West Germany. After 40 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 39,000 feet, radio contact was lost with the crew who failed to respond to any ATC calls. The aircraft failed to descend to Hamburg and continued over the Atlantic Ocean. Decision was taken to dispatch a fighter plane and the military crew confirmed that there was no activity and no movement on board once he reached the flying Learjet. After fuel exhausted, both engines stopped and the airplane entered a dive until it crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, about 560 km northwest off Scotland. Few debris were found while the main wreckage disappeared in the sea. All three occupants were killed.

Flight / Schedule

Vienna - Hamburg

Aircraft

Learjet 25

Registration

D-CDPD

MSN

25-177

Year of Manufacture

1974

Operator

Air Traffic

Date

May 18, 1983 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Training

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Atlantic Ocean All World

Region

World • World

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On May 18, 1983 at 12:00 AM, Vienna - Hamburg experienced a crash involving Learjet 25, operated by Air Traffic, with the event recorded near Atlantic Ocean All World.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The twin engine airplane departed Vienna-Schwechat Airport on a training flight to Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel, West Germany. After 40 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 39,000 feet, radio contact was lost with the crew who failed to respond to any ATC calls. The aircraft failed to descend to Hamburg and continued over the Atlantic Ocean. Decision was taken to dispatch a fighter plane and the military crew confirmed that there was no activity and no movement on board once he reached the flying Learjet. After fuel exhausted, both engines stopped and the airplane entered a dive until it crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, about 560 km northwest off Scotland. Few debris were found while the main wreckage disappeared in the sea. All three occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration D-CDPD, MSN 25-177, year of manufacture 1974.

Fatalities

Total

3

Crew

2

Passengers

1

Other

0

Crash Summary

The twin engine airplane departed Vienna-Schwechat Airport on a training flight to Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel, West Germany. After 40 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 39,000 feet, radio contact was lost with the crew who failed to respond to any ATC calls. The aircraft failed to descend to Hamburg and continued over the Atlantic Ocean. Decision was taken to dispatch a fighter plane and the military crew confirmed that there was no activity and no movement on board once he reached the flying Learjet. After fuel exhausted, both engines stopped and the airplane entered a dive until it crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, about 560 km northwest off Scotland. Few debris were found while the main wreckage disappeared in the sea. All three occupants were killed.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

2

Passengers On Board

1

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 3

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Vienna - Hamburg

Operator

Air Traffic

Flight Type

Training

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

World • World

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Learjet 25

Registration

D-CDPD

MSN

25-177

Year of Manufacture

1974