AAIU Reports

During the landing on Runway 24 at Shannon Airport (EINN), the nose landing gear of the Piper PA23 aircraft collapsed, causing the aircraft’s two propellers to strike the runway. The aircraft came to rest on the left side of the runway. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured and exited the aircraft normally. There was no fire.

 

During a local circuit flight conducted from a private grass airstrip, in the Woolengrange area of Co. Kilkenny, the microlight aircraft experienced engine difficulties when climbing away from the airstrip. The Pilot conducted a forced landing in an agricultural field close to the airstrip. During the landing roll the aircraft impacted with a line of raised ground which traversed the field. The aircraft decelerated suddenly, and slewed around coming to rest on a heading that was approximately reciprocal to its original direction of travel. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact sequence. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant of the microlight, sustained severe injuries as a result of the accident; extricated himself from the wreckage and was assisted by local residents who attended the scene. There was no fire.

 

 

On 13 June 2019, at 18.02 hrs, the aircraft, a Bristell NG5 ‘Speedwing’, took off from Kilrush Airfield (EIKH), Co. Kildare, with two pilots on board. The purpose of the flight was to familiarise one of the new owners with the aircraft. During the flight, two stall exercises were carried out. Both stall exercises were commenced from an altitude of approximately 3,300 ft. During recovery from the second stall, the aircraft departed from controlled flight and commenced a rapid descent, entered a spiral dive, following which the aircraft entered a flat spin. The aircraft remained in the flat spin until it impacted the ground in an agricultural grass field, approximately 5.2 nautical miles (NM) south of EIKH, at Belan, Co. Kildare. The aircraft was destroyed. Both occupants were fatally injured. There was no fire.

Ten Safety Recommendations are made as a result of this Investigation

 

On touchdown at a private airfield near Athenry, Co. Galway, the aircraft, with one Pilot on board, encountered a gust of wind from the west. The gust caused the aircraft to drift left towards a line of trees running parallel to the runway. The Pilot tried to turn the aircraft away from the trees, but was unsuccessful. The Pilot applied full power in an attempt to take-off again. During the attempted take-off, the left wing tip struck several trees. The aircraft continued over the airfield’s eastern boundary hedgerow, and came to rest in an agricultural field adjacent to the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed. There was no fire.              

 

During a landing at a private airstrip at Dowth Hall, the aircraft touched down hard and bounced, before touching down again. The nose landing gear was damaged during the landing, which caused the aircraft to veer to the left, and depart the side of the runway. The two occupants were uninjured and exited the aircraft normally. There was no fire.

 

 

The Comco Ikarus C42B aircraft, with the Pilot and one passenger on board, was en route from Sligo Airport (EISG) to Belmullet Aerodrome, Co. Mayo (EIBT). When the aircraft was overhead Bartragh Island, Co. Mayo, at an altitude estimated by the Pilot to be six to seven hundred feet, the engine cut out. The Pilot made one attempt to restart the engine without success, before carrying out a forced landing on a sandy beach on the south-western side of the island. The nose landing gear and right main landing gear collapsed during the landing and detached before the aircraft came to rest. The Pilot and passenger were uninjured and exited the aircraft unaided. There was no fire.

 

 

 

The BRM Land Africa (Citius) aircraft departed Ballyheelan Airfield, Co Cavan for a local flight on 21 April 2021. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant, estimated the wind speed to be 25 miles per hour (mph) at departure. The Pilot stated that one hour later, when returning to land, the wind speed had increased and was gusting to an estimated 35 mph. He said that as the aircraft crossed the runway threshold, he reduced engine power and just before touchdown the aircraft appeared to sink and stall, resulting in a hard landing on the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to its undercarriage. The Pilot was uninjured. There was no fire

 

The Pilot had conducted a general handling and aerobatics flight in the aircraft, a Stolp Starduster TOO SA-300 biplane, followed by a return to land on the westerly grass runway at Ballyboy Airfield, Co. Meath. During the landing roll, the left main undercarriage leg gradually collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer to the left. During the subsequent runway excursion, the aircraft impacted a perimeter fence adjacent to the runway and came to rest facing in a south-easterly direction. The Pilot and Passenger were both uninjured. There was no fire.