Piper PA38 accident near Bad Sobernheim, De, May 15, 2021
On May 15, 2021 at about 11:00 am local time, a Piper PA38, registered DEBEU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bad Sobernheim. It was an instructional flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 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
- May 15, 2021 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Bad Sobernheim, Germany · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA38 · all PA38s on the register
- Registration
- DEBEU · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · non-U.S. private rules
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during unknown defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Zweibrucken
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.