Preliminary Report: Citation crashes after unusual maneuver

Cessna Citation 550B, Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna, Germany, Feb. 14, 2010–The Czech-registered twinjet was on a ferry flight from Prague to Karlstadt, Sweden, when it crashed, destroying the aircraft and killing the pilot and copilot. Dark night VMC prevailed at the time. The Citation Bravo was climbing from FL260 to FL330 when radar contact was lost. According to the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, which is handling the inquiry, analysis of the recovered cockpit voice recorder showed that shortly before the crash the crew initiated a barrel roll, a maneuver for which the aircraft was neither designed nor approved.