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Wind (onshore)GermanyEIR-2239

Rotor blade falls from Senvion turbine at Berching wind park

Mar 2026Published 12 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantMechanical
Estimated damageModelled by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
turbine out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hiddenThe maker is named in 3 other entries

Companies named in this entry: Senvion, Windpower

What happened

On Wednesday 18 March 2026, at about 09:00, a rotor blade roughly 60 metres long and weighing about 15 tonnes broke off a Senvion wind turbine at the Bürgerwindpark Berching, in the Neumarkt district of the Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany. The blade fell to the ground, and nearby residents reported a loud bang. The turbine, built in 2012, stands about 140 metres high and was last serviced in November 2025, according to the operator.

The operator, Windpower GmbH of Regensburg, said nobody was injured and described the event as a very serious incident. It said it was the first incident of its kind in the company's 30-year history. Police temporarily closed a road in the immediate vicinity. The cause is under investigation with the help of an outside expert.

Contributing factors

Not yet established. The operator said the cause is under investigation with the help of an outside expert.

Lessons learned

  1. Treat any unexpected loud noise or vibration from a turbine as a trigger for an immediate inspection, and record the findings.
  2. Keep exclusion zones and road closure plans in place around turbines sited close to public roads, so that a blade or component failure can be contained quickly.
  3. Review blade condition monitoring and maintenance records for ageing turbines, so that structural faults are caught before a blade separates.

More lessons on maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.

Source

t-online.de

Site page: Berching wind farm (status, dates and other incidents)

Published 2026-10-12. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Chart to reuse with this story: Wind (onshore) incidents in Germany, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Wind (onshore) incidents in Germany: 22 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Wind turbine fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one.

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