Finland’s Safety Investigation Authority declines to probe Hyvinkää electric plane crash
The Safety Investigation Authority (Otkes) has announced it will not launch a formal safety investigation into the fatal aviation accident in Hyvinkää last week, in which one pilot died and another was seriously injured. The decision follows an assessment that an investigation would not yield generalizable safety benefits, primarily due to the lack of critical technical data from the aircraft.
The accident occurred on the evening of 20 July when Finland’s only electrically powered motorised aircraft crashed into the terrain of a motor racing track shortly after takeoff. A 71-year-old pilot was killed, while a 48-year-old co-pilot sustained serious injuries. Helsingin Sanomat reports that the flight was a refresher training exercise.
Otkes conducted an on-site inspection and interviewed individuals connected to the incident. Senior investigator Juho Posio stated that the absence of engine parameter recordings made it nearly impossible to determine why the aircraft’s engine failed. Despite this, Otkes found no deficiencies in the crew’s actions, noting that their decision to seek a forced landing site ahead of the aircraft—rather than attempting to return to the runway—was correct (Yle).
The aircraft, manufactured in 2018, was the country’s sole electric-powered plane of its kind (Helsingin Sanomat). While Otkes has ruled out a full investigation, the authority will publish a report on the case within a few weeks, detailing its findings and any potential safety observations (Iltalehti, MTV Uutiset).
