Two killed as small plane crashes onto A2 motorway near Magdeburg, Germany

The crash

On Friday, 6 November, a small aircraft came down on the A2 motorway northeast of Magdeburg. Police said rescuers recovered two occupants dead from the aircraft. The crash happened around 14:48 between Burg and the Krähenberge rest stop. The wreck came to rest with its tail on the carriageway, while other burnt parts lay scattered on the embankment. Police said the aircraft caught fire, and photos from the scene show fire crews dousing the remains about a kilometre before the rest stop.

The aircraft and its flight

According to the details reported, the aircraft was an Aerostyle Breezer, a two-seat ultralight. Reports said it took off from an airfield in Schleswig-Holstein shortly after 12:30. Police said that no other people were affected as of the latest information, and that no vehicles were involved in the incident. The number of people injured was not yet known at the time of the first reports.

Road closure and investigation

Police closed the motorway after the crash, and the reports differ on how far the closure extends. Spiegel Online said the Hanover direction was shut and that it was unclear how long the closure would last. DIE WELT, citing the local portal Meetingpoint Magdeburg, reported a full closure in both directions and said the closure could last for several hours because recovery and firefighting work is complex. Police and rescue services were still on scene at the time of the reporting.

A police spokesman said it still had to be established how and why the aircraft came onto the A2. The A2 is one of the main east-west routes in Germany, running from the Berlin area to North Rhine-Westfalen.