Piper PA32R accident near Oey, Gemeinde Saanen, Ch, August 26, 2010
On August 26, 2010 at about 11:09 am local time, a Piper PA32R, registered HBPRE, was destroyed in an accident near Oey, Gemeinde Saanen. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under non-U.S. private rules. 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2010 · about 11:09 am local time
- Place
- Oey, Gemeinde Saanen, Switzerland
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32R 300 · all PA32Rs on the register
- Registration
- HBPRE · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 26, 2010, at 1109 coordinated universal time, a Piper PA-32R-300, Swiss registered HB-PRE, owned by Swiss Aviation Services AG, and operated by Bodanair AG, was destroyed when it impacted terrain under unknown circumstances near Oey, Gemeinde Saanen, Switzerland. A post impact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from Saanen (LSGK), and was en route to Zurich (LSZH). The Swiss investigators received statements indicating that after take-off the airplane did not gain altitude and crashed shortly thereafter. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Swiss government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Swiss government or the Swiss Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau – Switzerland AAIB – Aeropole 1 Rte de Morens CH-1530 Payerne Switzerland
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Crew member
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Oey, Gemeinde Saanen
- Destination: Zurich
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from LSGC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.