Despite insufficient visibility, the pilot flew based on what he could see rather than what the navigational instruments were telling him, the court found. This cost him his life when the PC-7 plane crashed into the Schreckhorn mountain (altitude 4,080m / 13,386ft) near Grindelwald.
The small Pilatus propeller plane had taken off from the Payerne air base in northwestern Switzerland, but did not land in the southern Swiss town of Locarno at the expected time. The flight did not involve active combat training, but was intended to transport the aircraft to Locarno, said the army at the time.
The Pilatus PC-7 is a low-wing tandem-seat training aircraft, manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland. The popular trainer aircraft was introduced in 1978.
This finding concludes the legal proceedings into the case, the court announced on Tuesday.
More
More
Body recovered of army plane crash pilot
This content was published on
A missing Swiss army PC-7 aircraft has been located in the Schreckhorn region of the Bernese Alps. The pilot’s body has been recovered.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
Swiss scientists to use AI for improved weather and climate forecasts
This content was published on
MeteoSwiss and the Swiss Data Science Center have signed a four-year agreement to make greater use of AI in meteorology and climatology going forward.
This content was published on
Prices of owner-occupied homes rose in the third quarter of 2024 by 0.5%, with inflation affecting both apartments and single-family houses, says the Federal Statistical Office.
This content was published on
The honey harvest is projected to be lower than usual this year, as Swiss beekeepers report harvesting an average of just 16kg of honey per bee colony.
More young refugees in Switzerland following vocational training
This content was published on
More than half of young refugees and temporarily admitted persons between the ages of 16 and 25 are now in training. This is significantly more than five years ago.
One in five Swiss children suffers psychological abuse at home
This content was published on
In Switzerland, one in five children suffers psychological violence, and one in three has witnessed psychological violence between parents, says the association Kinderschutz Schweiz.
Swiss government minister breaks silence over Trump remarks controversy
This content was published on
Transport Minister Albert Rösti explained himself in a television interview on Sunday evening, after being called out for expressing support for Donald Trump.
Swiss Covid expert calls for caution on vaccination recommendations
This content was published on
The head of the vaccination commission would be “even more cautious today” when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination recommendations.
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
Sonic boom caused by fighter jet triggers calls to police
This content was published on
Swiss army F/A-18 jets breaking the sound barrier were responsible for the loud noise that alarmed residents of the city of Lausanne on Monday.
This content was published on
From January 1, the Swiss Air Force is extending its service hours as part of a plan to set up a 24-hour air police duty.
Confusion as Swiss air force flies over the wrong festival
This content was published on
A Swiss aerial display team missed the target of their flyover in canton Basel Country on Sunday afternoon by some six kilometres.
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.