An amateur-built aircraft accident near Gelsdorf, De, March 25, 2012
On March 25, 2012 at about 9:48 am local time, a an amateur-built aircraft, registered DHENN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gelsdorf. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 6 people were seriously injured.
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
- March 25, 2012 · about 9:48 am local time
- Place
- Gelsdorf, Germany
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- An amateur-built aircraft
- Registration
- DHENN · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 23, 2012, at 0948 coordinated universal time, a Eurocopter AS-350 helicopter, registered D-HENN, sustained substantial damage after a loss of engine power near Gelsdorf, Germany. There was one pilot and five passengers on board. The pilot was seriously injured. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the German government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the German government. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation Bundesstelle fuer Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) Hermann-Blenk Strasse 16 38108 Braunschweig Germany
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
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on April 9, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Notification | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.