Cessna F172 accident near Wasserkuppe, De, October 14, 2018
On October 14, 2018 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna F172, registered DEFJX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wasserkuppe. It was flown under non-U.S. private rules. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
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
- October 14, 2018 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wasserkuppe, Germany
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna F172 N
- Registration
- DEFJX · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 14, 2018, about 1345 coordinated universal time, a Cessna F172N, D-EFJX, experienced a runway excursion during landing which resulted in 3 ground fatalities.This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU). Under the provisions of Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation as a State of Design, the United States has designated an accredited representative to participate in the investigation. Any further information may be obtained from: Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung Hermann-Blenk-Straße 16 38108 Braunschweig Germany Tel: +49 531 3548 – 0 Fax: +49 531 3548 - 246 E-mail: box@bfu-web.de
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
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 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.