Date:	Monday 26 August 2024
Time:	c. 10:05 LT
Type:	Beechcraft 58TC Baron
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N558AB
MSN:	TK-48
Total airframe hrs:	2350 hours
Engine model:	Continental TSIO-520-R
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Brandnertal, Brüggele Alpe, Bludenz, Vorarlberg -   Austria
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Albenga Airport (ALL/LIMG)
Destination airport:	Straubing-Wallmühle Airport (RBM/EDMS)
Investigating agency:	UUS Austria
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Beechcraft 58TC Baron (turbocharged) crashed in a mountainous area in Brandnertal, Brüggele Alpe, Bludenz, Vorarlberg.

At approximately 06:50 UTC, the Beechcraft 58TC took off from Albenga in Italy. The pilot was the sole person on board. The destination of the IFR flight was Straubing Airport (EDMS) in Germany. According to the approved flight plan, a cruising altitude of 16,000 ft was filed. After reaching this altitude, however, the aircraft continued to climb.

At 07:47:41 UTC, the pilot requested clearance from air traffic control to climb to 25,000 ft, which was the aircraft’s service ceiling. At 07:47:56 UTC, the pilot requested to climb further to 26,000 ft. At 07:48:01 UTC, the controller asked for the aircraft’s current altitude. The pilot reported 24,000 ft. The controller informed him that radar showed the aircraft at 24,500 ft. Surprised, the pilot responded: “Yes? We are trying to avoid.” The controller noted that the climb had not been cleared and instructed the pilot to stop climbing. At 07:48:28 UTC, the controller granted clearance to climb to 26,000 ft. The pilot thanked him for the clearance and apologized for the earlier unauthorized climb.

About one hour and nine minutes after departure, at 07:59:44 UTC, the pilot reported to ATC: “Request lower to avoid oxygen problems” and asked for clearance to leave cruising altitude. Clearance to descend to 25,000 ft was issued at 07:59:58 UTC. A follow-up question, “do you need lower than two five?”, remained unanswered. By that time, the pilot had already initiated a descent at about 1,250 ft/min and was flying the aircraft in oscillations with approx. 25° bank alternately left and right. Shortly thereafter, he reduced the bank angle while climbing slightly at approx. 100 ft/min.

At 08:02:20 UTC, the aircraft was descending at approx. 3,950 ft/min with a right bank of about 15°. At 08:02:46 UTC, it climbed again at approx. 3,500 ft/min with a left bank of about 20°. Beginning at 08:03:02 UTC, the aircraft entered a spiral dive, with descent rates up to 14,300 ft/min and ground speeds up to 332 knots.

Shortly before impact, structural failure occurred due to aerodynamic overload, resulting in both wings separating beyond the engine nacelles and the complete loss of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. The remaining fuselage, consisting of the cabin and center wing section with both engine nacelles, impacted steep, rocky terrain on the west slope of Mottakopf at approx. 1,650 m altitude and caught fire immediately. The pilot died at the scene from his injuries.

During the investigation it was discovered that the aircraft did not have a valid registration and operation under U.S. aviation law was not permitted.
According to the available maintenance records, the aircraft’s oxygen system had been deactivated since August 25, 2022, and the oxygen bottle had been removed.
The oxygen bottle installed in the accident aircraft was not documented. It can therefore be assumed that the system was uninspected and not fully maintained.
It could not be conclusively determined by whom the oxygen bottle was installed in the aircraft and the oxygen system reactivated.
Also, it is not known whether the pilot had an appropriate oxygen mask. At the accident site, so-called nasal cannulas were found, but their use is only permitted up to 18,000 ft.


Probable causes
• Flight crew incapacitation
• Loss of control in flight (LOC-I)
• In-flight break-up
• Collision with terrain

Probable contributing factors
• Faulty oxygen system
• Inappropriate oxygen mask
• Hypobaric Hypoxia

https://vorarlberg.orf.at/stories/3270482/
https://www.vol.at/flugzeugabsturz-bei-brand-einsatzkrafte-im-groseinsatz/8907490

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=558AB
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N558AB
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n558ab#36d02dc4

https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/75698_1603225934.jpg (photo)

https://www.savonanews.it/2024/08/27/amp/argomenti/cronaca-2/articolo/aereo-si-schianta-sulle-alpi-austriache-riprendono-le-ricerche-di-gianluca-vinzoni.html

https://www.bmimi.gv.at/dam/jcr:60ad435e-8dbe-4750-af64-07c6c99fe38b/20240826_Beechcraft-58TC-Baron_85307_Abschlussbericht.pdf

Ex D-ICIM

Low Level Significant Weather Chart

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Aug-2024 10:30	Fabio	Added
26-Aug-2024 10:32	ASN	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Location, Source, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 10:34	ASN	Updated [Departure airport, ]
26-Aug-2024 12:07	Anon.	Updated [Source, ]
26-Aug-2024 12:08	ASN	Updated [Damage, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 13:17	gerard57	Updated [Total occupants, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 13:44	Anon.	Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 17:18	stefan	Updated [Source, Narrative, Photo, ]
26-Aug-2024 18:34	ASN	Updated [Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 19:02	thunderbolt	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 19:04	ASN	Updated [Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2024 20:17	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
27-Aug-2024 09:36	el3ctro4ndre	Updated [Destination airport, Source, ]
27-Aug-2024 16:14	Anon.	Updated [Category, ]
28-Aug-2024 07:04	Anon.	Updated [Narrative, ]
29-Aug-2024 06:19	Anon.	Updated [Narrative, ]
21-Aug-2025 07:47	el3ctro4ndre	Updated [Source, ]
21-Aug-2025 07:54	ASN	Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ]
21-Aug-2025 09:03	ASN	Updated [Narrative, ]