New information on Hyvinkää plane crash: parachute unused

The single-seat Pipistrel Alpha Electro, Finland’s only electric-powered aircraft, crashed shortly after takeoff in Hyvinkää on Monday evening, killing one person and injuring another.

According to the Finnish Safety Investigation Authority (Otkes), the lightweight aircraft did not deploy its built-in rocket-deployed parachute during the accident.

The Otkes team completed an initial on-site safety assessment on Monday night and has begun dismantling the airframe for further examination. Investigators are retrieving data recorders and plan to interview the survivor and any witnesses.

Otkes said it is still determining whether to launch a full safety investigation or a shorter fact-finding review once the wreckage analysis is complete.