Larvik accident

The Larvik accident was an air accident that occurred in Tvedalen outside Larvik on 23 November 2021.

A training aircraft of the type Diamond DA42 Twin Star from Pilot Flight Academy took off from Sandefjord Airport with three people on board to carry out exercises over Vestfold. When the aircraft was over Larvik Municipality, the crew began performing normal practice manoeuvres in the area between Kjose and Helgeroa; according to data from the aircraft's ADS-B transponder, the crew primarily practised circling manoeuvres. During the last circling manoeuvre at feet altitude the aircraft began to lose altitude rapidly, and ended up crashing into a rock face in Tvedalen north of Helgeroa at 09:10.

Farris TMA tried to reach the training aircraft by radio, but did not make contact with the training aircraft and therefore began instructing nearby aircraft to look out for suspicious circumstances. Shortly afterwards an aircraft reported having observed smoke on the ground near where the aircraft had disappeared from Farris TMA's radar.

The police were alerted by a witness to the air accident at around 09:20, and a large rescue operation was launched. Personnel from all three emergency services; police, ambulance and fire service, as well as personnel from the Civil Defence, the Red Cross Relief Corps and Norwegian People's Aid Medical Service were called out. In the aftermath of the air accident, municipal crisis teams were set up in Larvik, Sandefjord and the home municipalities of the deceased.

On board were one instructor and two students; all three died in the accident. The accident is being examined by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority and investigated by the police, and the cause is so far not known.