Two charged with negligent homicide in 2016 air force plane crash
Swiss military justice officials have indicted a Skyguide air traffic controller and an air force pilot following investigations into the 2016 crash of a F/A-18 military jet in the Swiss Alps which left a second pilot dead.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jc
The two men are charged with negligent homicide, negligent disregard of service regulations, negligent obstruction of public traffic, and negligent misuse and waste of equipment, according to a military justice statement on Friday. They continue to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, it added.
The accident occurred during air combat training, shortly after the take-off of a two-plane patrol from Meiringen air base in the Bernese Oberland on August 29, 2016. The pilot of the second aircraft tried to lock his radar on to his leader’s aircraft, which was flying in front of him, in order to follow him.
However, this did not work. The pilot contacted the air traffic controller in Meiringen who told him to climb to an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,048 metres above sea level). The pilot followed these instructions and, 58 seconds after the last radio communication, crashed into the western flank of the Hinter-Tierberg mountain in the Susten region. The 27-year-old pilot was killed instantly, and his plane was completely destroyed.
The crash occurred 11 metres below the ridge at an altitude of 3,319 metres. In an interim report published in April 2020, the military justice authorities considered that the accident was due to an incorrect altitude indication. The air traffic controller probably indicated too low an altitude to the pilot, they said. Another cause of the air accident could be that the leader did not fully comply with the standard specifications during take-off, the report added.
Skyguide, which manages civil and military air traffic control, has acknowledged its responsibility, saying that in collaboration with the Swiss Air Force, it has taken measures to ensure that such an accident does not happen again.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign affairs
What Trump’s return or a new Harris administration would mean for Switzerland
Amherd and von der Leyen discuss ongoing Swiss-EU negotiations
This content was published on
Swiss President Viola Amherd and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have met and talked about the ongoing negotiations between Bern and Brussels.
This content was published on
One million francs, 34 million euros and around 830 kilos of gold: this is the fortune that two Swiss nationals are accused of having moved across borders for at least four years.
Girls in female-dominated classes earn more later on
This content was published on
At the age of 30, women from school classes with a 55% share of girls earn $350 more per year than women from classes with a 45% share of girls.
This content was published on
Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reported a downturn in performance for the first half of its 2024/25 financial year. Both sales and profit declined.
COP29: Swiss NGOs call for strong financial support
This content was published on
Ahead of COP29, Swiss NGOs call for wealthy nations to pay $1,000 billion a year to help other countries solve climate problems.
Real Swiss wages likely to rise in 2025, says UBS bank
This content was published on
Higher wages and falling inflation are likely to boost Swiss purchasing power, which will be dragged back by rising health premiums.
This content was published on
Switzerland has a new tectonic map at a scale of 1:500,000, containing updates to geometry, distribution and nomenclature of the tectonic units.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Popular Air Force display cancelled after fatal crashes
This content was published on
The display was called off following a military helicopter crash earlier this week, which killed the pilot and co-pilot and injured a flight assistant, and an accident on August 29 that claimed the life of an F/A-18 fighter jet. The Super Puma helicopter came down in the central Swiss Alps on Wednesday after dropping off…
This content was published on
The F/A-18 military jet which crashed last week in the mountains was given a too low altitude reading by air traffic control, say officials.
This content was published on
“The army’s leadership express their heartfelt condolences to his relatives,” the defence ministry said. The 27-year-old deceased pilot’s family is being cared for by army specialists, the statement added. An investigation into the accident has been launched and an operation has been mounted to recover the debris of the wreckage that was found in the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.