Wald im Pinzgau, Austria: A German-registered light aircraft crashed in the Austrian Alps on Saturday afternoon, killing all four occupants onboard. The crash occurred near the Trattenbach glacier in the municipality of Wald im Pinzgau, Salzburg state. Authorities have launched a joint investigation into the incident.
Flight Details and Crash Site
The aircraft, a single-engine propeller plane, departed from Oberschleißheim airfield near Munich, Germany. It was conducting a sightseeing flight over the Alps when it disappeared from radar around 12:45 PM local time.
Emergency services located the wreckage at an altitude of approximately 2,300 meters in a remote, mountainous area. The aircraft had impacted steep terrain and caught fire on impact. Rescue units confirmed that all four occupants were deceased at the scene.
Victim Identification
Austrian and German authorities have identified the victims as:
- A 70-year-old man from the Ebersberg district, Bavaria
- His 33-year-old son from Regensburg
- The son’s 33-year-old girlfriend
- The 59-year-old pilot from Markt Schwaben
All victims were German nationals. The families have been notified.
Response and Recovery Operations
Over 70 personnel from fire and rescue services participated in the recovery effort, which was complicated by the inaccessible terrain and high elevation. The aircraft’s ballistic recovery system had not deployed during the crash and had to be safely disarmed before wreckage recovery could begin.
The bodies were recovered and transported to Salzburg for forensic examination. The public prosecutor’s office has ordered autopsies as part of standard procedure.
Investigation
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Austrian air accident investigators, in coordination with German authorities, are examining possible technical faults, pilot error, and weather conditions. No adverse weather was reported at the time of the flight.
The aircraft did not carry a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, as these are not mandatory for this category of aircraft. Investigators are analyzing radar data, flight planning records, and available GPS traces. Wreckage analysis is being conducted on-site and will continue at a secured facility. No preliminary findings have been released.
The Austrian Safety Investigation Authority (SIA) is leading the technical investigation, while the Salzburg prosecutor’s office oversees the legal process. Authorities have confirmed that the airspace around the crash site remains restricted pending completion of fieldwork.
