Leukerbad, Switzerland: Three people were killed after a single-engine Cirrus SR22T crashed into a mountain slope near Leukerbad in Switzerland’s Valais canton on 15 September 2026. Two of the three people on board were British nationals, according to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), while Swiss authorities said the formal identification of all three victims was still under way.
The crash occurred shortly after 16:00 local time in the Fluhalp area of Leukerbad. The aircraft had originally departed from Lugano in the canton of Ticino and subsequently made a stop at Sion Airport. It then resumed its flight towards Buochs aerodrome in the canton of Nidwalden. For reasons that remain unknown, the aircraft struck the northern slope in the Fluhalp area. Swiss authorities have not released any finding indicating whether weather, navigation, aircraft systems, pilot action or another factor contributed to the impact.
The emergency response was launched after people in the area reported seeing a heavy plume of smoke rising from the mountainside. The Valais Cantonal Rescue Organisation (OCVS 144) dispatched three helicopters and two rescue specialists to the crash site. When rescuers arrived, they found that all three occupants had died. The Valais Cantonal Police said, “At their arrival, they could only confirm the deaths of the three occupants of the aircraft.”
The police statement said the formal identification of the victims was still in progress. Consequently, the authorities had not released the names or ages of the deceased in their initial public statement. Subsequent British reporting confirmed that two of the victims were British nationals, but the nationality and identity of the third occupant had not been publicly disclosed. The FCDO said it was “providing support to the families of two British nationals who died in Switzerland” and was in contact with the local authorities. The department added: “Our thoughts remain with the families during this difficult time.”
The aircraft was identified as a Cirrus SR22T, a single-engine, high-performance general-aviation aircraft. Aviation Safety Network records the accident aircraft as N44T, with manufacturer serial number 10656, and identifies it as a Cirrus SR22T GTS G7+ Carbon. The FAA registry confirms N44T as a Cirrus Design Corp SR22T, serial number 10656, manufactured in 2025. The FAA record lists it as a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft powered by a Continental TSIO-550-K reciprocating engine.
FAA records show that the aircraft’s certificate was issued on 14 May 2025 and its airworthiness date was 12 May 2025. The registered owner is listed as N44T Aviation Inc Trustee, based in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. The aircraft is not listed as belonging to a scheduled airline; aviation tracking and aircraft databases identify it as a private aircraft.
The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB), known in Switzerland as the Service suisse d’enquête de sécurité (SESE/SISI), has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident. A separate criminal investigation is being conducted by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland in cooperation with the Valais Cantonal Police. The two investigations are being conducted in parallel and in close coordination.
