AAIU Reports

Accident involving a BOEING 787 9 Aeroplane registration A7-BHM on 26 May 2024 / 06:26 hrs. Report 2025-006.

EU Regulation 996/2010 requires that, if the Final Report cannot be made public within 12 months, the safety investigation authority shall release an interim statement at least at each anniversary of the accident or serious incident, detailing the progress of the investigation and any safety issues raised.

The paraglider departed from a cliff top in an area known as The Lady’s Stairs, Skerries, County Dublin. The Pilot’s intention was to conduct some coastal soaring. After taking off, the Pilot commenced a right turn, to track parallel to the coastline. Shortly thereafter, the paraglider began losing height and the canopy started scraping and snagging along the cliff face. There was insufficient height or time to turn towards the beach and the paraglider impacted on the rocks below the cliff. The Pilot sustained serious injuries during the impact and was airlifted to hospital by an Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter.

During a landing attempt onto Runway 09 at Navan Airfield, Co. Meath, the twin engine Cessna T303 Crusader aircraft experienced a crosswind which raised the left wing as the aircraft entered the flare, and the right wing impacted with the grass. The aircraft touched down on soft ground to the left of the runway. The main wheels dug into the soft ground before stopping adjacent to the boundary markings of Runway 07, which is situated to the left of Runway 09. The Pilot and two passengers on board exited the aircraft normally. There was no fire, and no injuries were reported to the Investigation.

The aircraft, a Beechcraft 19A Musketeer Sport III, flew three low-level circuits to Runway 24 at Milltownpass Airstrip, Co. Westmeath, Ireland. A landing was performed following a fourth circuit; however, a runway excursion occurred when the aircraft departed the right-hand side of the runway during the landing roll. The aircraft’s right wing impacted a hedgerow before the aircraft came to rest in a shallow ditch at the airstrip boundary beyond the end of the runway. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained minor injuries and exited the aircraft unaided. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. There was no fire.

During an attempted landing on a grass runway at a private site at Cloongoonagh, Co. Mayo, the Pilot of the microlight aircraft elected to conduct a go-around manoeuvre due to a reported sudden drop in height. The engine power was increased, and the aircraft veered to the left. It impacted with a hedgerow located to the left of the runway, before coming to rest in an adjacent field. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant, exited the aircraft normally. No injuries were reported. There was no fire.

The Partenavia P68 Victor aircraft, with one Pilot and three Task Specialists on board, took off from Waterford Airport, Ireland, and was operating a marine wildlife survey flight off the south-east coast of Ireland when the right engine stopped. The Pilot commenced a return to Waterford Airport and a few minutes later, the left engine lost power repeatedly. The Pilot carried out a forced landing on a beach close to Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford. The Pilot and all three Task Specialists exited the aircraft and summoned assistance. The Pilot and one Task Specialist sustained serious injuries. The two other Task Specialists sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. There was no fire.

The Investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was separate interruptions to the fuel supply of each engine, while operating at or below a quarter of the aircraft’s fuel tank capacity, which ultimately resulted in a forced landing. Contributory causes were:

1. A lack of clarity in the Aircraft Flight Manual limitations section regarding operations at less than ¼ tank fuel.
2. The configuration of the fuel selector panel was potentially misleading, and its operation was not intuitive.

Three Safety Recommendations are made as a result of this Investigation.

EI-DHH, a Boeing 737-8AS aircraft, was on a scheduled passenger flight from Liverpool Airport, in the United Kingdom (EGGP), to Dublin Airport, in Ireland (EIDW). Following an uneventful flight, the aircraft touched down on Runway (RWY) 28 Left (L) at EIDW, in crosswind conditions, with a crab angle of approximately three degrees to the left, relative to the runway magnetic heading of 277 degrees. The aircraft tracked towards the left edge of the runway before turning back through the runway centreline and eventually coming to a stop at a runway exit on the right-hand side of the runway. During the ground roll, the aircraft nosewheels were severely damaged with one wheel and tyre departing the aircraft completely, and the other wheel being ground down to its axle, while its tyre also suffered significant abrasion and loss of material. There was damage to the airframe due to debris. There were no injuries and there was no fire. The passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft through the left rear (L2) door using mobile stairs and were taken to the terminal buildings by bus. The Investigation determined that the probable cause of the occurrence was the use of the tiller to steer the nosewheel assembly at a speed higher than that prescribed by the Aircraft Manufacturer.

During an urban delivery flight, a propeller blade separated from the Unmanned Aircraft (UA). This caused severe vibrations and the subsequent failure of an electric motor which in turn triggered the onboard Flight Termination System and emergency parachute deployment. The UA impacted the ground, resulting in minor damage to the UA. The propeller blade that had separated struck an individual on the ground causing a minor injury. The Investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was a fatigue fracture of a bolt securing the propeller blade, which caused the blade to separate from the UA.

The twin-engine PA34-220T aircraft was enroute from Bournemouth Airport (EGHH), in the United Kingdom to Weston Airport (EIWT), near Dublin, Ireland. While over the Irish Sea at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet and approximately three nautical miles east of the County Wicklow coast, the Pilot reported to Dublin Air Traffic Area Control Centre (ACC) that the aircraft had a ‘rough running engine’ and requested an expedited arrival into EIWT. Two minutes later, the Pilot transmitted a MAYDAY call (state of emergency) to Dublin ACC, advising that the aircraft was now operating on one engine. He was offered potential diversionary airfields but elected to continue to EIWT, where a single engine approach to Runway (RWY) 25 was conducted. The aircraft landed on RWY 25 and taxied to the apron, where the Pilot and the three passengers who were on board exited normally. No injuries were reported to the Investigation. There was no fire.
When the AAIU inspected the aircraft following the occurrence, it was observed that the No. 3 cylinder had separated from the crankcase of the right-hand engine, and that there was associated damage to the crankcase and ancillary components. The AAIU subsequently determined that the probable cause of the separation was the fatigue failure of seven of the eight cylinder retention studs/throughbolts.

Shortly after take-off from Runway 25 at Weston Airport (EIWT), the Flight Crew of a TECNAM P2006T aircraft, consisting of an Instructor and a Student, was advised by the Duty Air Traffic Controller that the aircraft’s towbar was still attached to the nose landing gear. This was acknowledged by the Instructor who elected to return for an immediate landing. The aircraft landed with the towbar still attached which caused minor damage to the fuselage. Neither occupant was injured. There was no fire.