Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-32-301 and Avions Pierre Robin - Centre DR 400/180 mid-air collision near Melbach, De, December 8, 2012
On December 8, 2012 at about 3:13 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-32-301 (DEUEU) and Avions Pierre Robin - Centre DR 400/180 (DEHJP), were involved in a mid-air collision near Melbach. 8 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
- December 8, 2012 · about 3:13 pm local time
- Place
- Melbach, Germany
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 8 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-32-301 301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- DEUEU · no longer on the register · serial 32-8106068
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft 2
- Avions Pierre Robin - Centre DR 400/180 180
- Registration
- DEHJP · no longer on the register · serial 2181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-32-301 preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 8, 2012, about 1513 coordinated universal time, a Piper PA-32, German registration, D-EUEU, and a Robin Regent DR400, German registration D-EHJP, collided while on cross country flights near Melbach, Germany. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and 4 passengers onboard the Piper and the pilot and 2 passengers onboard the Robin were fatally injured. The Piper originated from Stadtlohn-Vreden, Germany, and the Robin originated from Reichelsheim, Germany, at undetermined times. The German investigators received reports that these two aircraft collided in midair near Melbach, Germany. The 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 or German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation. 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 NTSB's narrative for the Avions Pierre Robin - Centre DR 400/180 preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 8, 2012, about 1513 coordinated universal time, a Piper PA-32, German registration, D-EUEU, and a Robin Regent DR400, German registration D-EHJP, collided while on cross country flights near Melbach, Germany. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and 4 passengers onboard the Piper and the pilot and 2 passengers onboard the Robin were fatally injured. The Piper originated from Stadtlohn-Vreden, Germany, and the Robin originated from Reichelsheim, Germany, at undetermined times. The German investigators received reports that these two aircraft collided in midair near Melbach, Germany. The 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 or German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation. 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 for the Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-32-301 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: EDLS Stadtlohn-Vrede
- Destination: EDFC Aschaffenburg
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 170° at 2 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:20 pm from EDDF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
The factual record for the Avions Pierre Robin - Centre DR 400/180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute defining event
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,425 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: EDFB Reichelsheim
- Destination: EDFB Reichelsheim
- Flight plan: not recorded
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.