Two planes collided in Austria, pilots killed

Two ultralight planes collided in mid-air and crashed into vineyards in northeastern Austria. The serious incident occurred in the area of the town of Langenlois, Lower Austria, near the Krems-Gneixendorf airport. Both pilots, who were the only ones on board the machines, died in the crash.

According to information from the Austrian media, disseminated by the Austrian news agency APA, the collision occurred at an altitude of about 350 meters. According to preliminary reports from the police and fire department, one of the planes acted as a tug that lifted a motorless glider into the sky. After successfully detaching the glider, the tow plane began a turn. At the same time, the second ultralight aircraft took off from the airport and crashed into it.

The main facts surrounding the tragedy include:

Victims: The deceased pilots were local residents aged 36 and 70, long-standing and respected members of the local flying club. The planes: Both planes were of the "ultralight" type and burned completely after the crash. The unpowered glider, which was towed earlier, was not involved in the incident and landed safely. The rescue operation: Over 160 emergency workers and 8 fire brigades were sent to the scene, vienna.at reported. Debris from the planes was scattered over an area of several hundred meters among the vineyards. Firefighters used water cannons to control the flames. Explosion risk: The area was extensively cordoned off by sappers and security forces, as there was a real danger of the pyrotechnic charges from the ballistic self-rescue systems (parachutes) of the aircraft, which did not activate during the collision, being triggered.

The investigation into the exact causes of the incident has been taken over by the State Criminal Investigation Office of Lower Austria (Landeskriminalamt Niederösterreich) together with the Federal Aviation Accident Investigation Office, writes kleinezeitung.at. The main versions work on the hypothesis of human error, since the flight was carried out in uncontrolled airspace, where the rule "see and avoid" (See and Avoid) applies.