AAIU Reports
Accident; Socata TB 9, EI-FLY, Lucan Golf Club, 3 Jan 1999: Report No 1999-013
SYNOPSIS
On Sunday 3rd January 1999, two members of a private flying group decided to take their aircraft on a routine flight in order to build up hours required for the renewal of their PPL licences. The aircraft was based at Weston Aerodrome which was also the point of departure.
After take-off Pilot A handed over control to Pilot B who flew the aircraft to the Trim area where he carried out some general handling practice. Both pilots agreed that the aircraft handled well for the duration of the flight and that there were no technical problems with the aircraft. After one hour they returned to Weston where Pilot A carried out three uneventful touch and go circuits on Runway 25. He then handed over control to Pilot B who, in turn, wanted to practice some circuits from the right hand seat.
Pilot B's initial two circuits were uneventful. On his third and final circuit he recalls that he selected ½ flap on Base leg, and, while initially overshooting the centre line on turning final for Runway 25 he regained the centre line by the Spa Hotel at 500 AGL and selected ¾ flap and 70 kt. Thereafter, his descent was normal and he recalls seeing about 65 kt airspeed as he flew over the airfield perimeter hedge, after which he cut the engine power to land. His next recollection was that they were just about to hit the ground………they impacted the runway…….he heard a cracking noise from the front of the aircraft, then a bang.
On impacting the runway the aircraft bounced back into the air – this was confirmed by witnesses on the ground and from pilots in a following aircraft lined up to land on Runway 25. Pilot A immediately applied full power and, while attempting to maintain the aircraft on the runway heading, it slewed off more than 90 degrees to the left, not gaining more than 30" or 40" in height, towards the airfield perimeter and the main Lucan to Celbridge road. The port wing clipped the trees on both sides of this road before it struck the ground inside the adjacent golf club. The aircraft then cartwheeled as the engine and port wing were torn from their mounts. The main fuselage and starboard wing of the aircraft finally came to a stop inverted on the 15th fairway, some 100 yards from the main road. The occupants were trapped upside down in the cabin area, with aviation fuel (Avgas 100 LL) dripping from the remaining wing tank onto the pilots. There was no post crash fire.
Accident: Rans S -12, D-MLAB, W Gibraltar Point Sligo Bay, 30 May 1998: Report No 1999-012
SYNOPSIS
The weather at Sligo was benign with no significant weather or cloud and a surface wind of 010º 10/15 kt. Runway 29 was in use. The aerial route allotted to D-MLAB took it via Coney Island towards Rosses Point and then eastwards towards Sligo town and defined points beyond the town. Maximum altitude was 2000 feet. The planned flying time for this route was 1 hour 45 minutes. The aircraft crashed some ten minutes after take-off, at 1810 hours approximately, into the tidal estuary of Sligo Bay, at a point about 1 km west of Gibraltar Point. Witnesses reported that the aircraft struck the firm sand of the estuary in a near vertical attitude. The crash site was compact. There were no survivors.
Find: Item trawled from the sea 20nm off Tuskar Rock: Report No 1999-011
SUBJECT:-
Incident: Blimp Balloon, No Reg, Red Cow Naas Road Dublin, 13 May 1997: Report No 1999-010
Synopsis
The blimp was being used as a moored advertising balloon. It became detached from its mooring and was observed drifting towards Dublin City, and in the general direction of Dublin Airport, at a height of 300/500 ft, trailing it"s mooring line. The blimp was not recovered.
Incident: Bolkow 105, EI-LIT, Nr Slane Co Meath, 25 Jun 1998: Report No 1999-009
SYNOPSIS
The pilot had planned a routine flight from Dublin Airport to Falcarragh, Co. Donegal, where he was to pick up passengers and ferry them to Tory Island. En route, about 2 nm west of Slane village, the pilot felt a sudden increase in vibration and noise levels. He reduced power, but these vibration levels persisted. While he was satisfied that all systems were normal and the helicopter was fully controllable, he decided to carry out a precautionary landing in a field which was known to him.
The pilot's post-flight inspection showed that one tail rotor blade had serious impact damage to the stainless steel strip on the leading edge and that the tail unit anticollision light cover and its clamp were missing.
Accident: Robinson R22B, EI-TKI, Hazelwood Sligo, 1 Aug 1997: Report No 1999-007
SYNOPSIS
As the aircraft approached its home base, it crossed Lough Gill, a large lake. The pilot then descended to the hover over a large field to the rear of his landing area. In the hover he performed final pre-landing checks. The pilot stated that at this time the main tank was indicating slightly under ¼ and the low fuel contents warning light was not illuminated. He then proceeded to hover-taxy the aircraft over a fence into his landing area. As he passed over the fence, he became aware of a significant loss of power, and the low rotor speed alarm activated. He flew the aircraft sideways to clear the fence and landed heavily. At touch-down the engine was already stopped. The undercarriage cross tubes were distorted as a result of the heavy landing. The pilot and his daughter exited the aircraft unhurt.
Incident: BAe 146, G-TNTL, Dublin Airport, 12 Jan 1999: Report No 1999-006
SYNOPSIS
The aircraft had been positioned at Stand 67 at Dublin Airport. The dolly struck the left hand undercarriage door and some damage was also evident to the lower part of the LH undercarriage body housing. The force of the impact was felt by the captain who was in the cockpit at the time of impact. He declared the aircraft unserviceable.
Accident: Jodel DR25, G-AWKP, Leperstown Dunmore East Waterford, 8 Jun 1998: Report No 1999-005
SYNOPSIS
The aircraft departed Little Gransden in the UK at 0740 hours on a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight to Waterford Airport in Ireland. The weather en route deteriorated, however, and the pilot elected to continue under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). The pilot failed to establish on the ILS twice at his destination in Waterford Airport. During the course of the second go around, the pilot became visual and elected to land in a suitable field, as he considered he had insufficient fuel for additional approaches.
The pilot landed the aircraft in a small and steeply uphill field. The aircraft came to a stop in a mud heap, just short of some farm out-buildings. There was no fire. All three occupants were uninjured.
Accident: Sikorsky S61N, EI-MES, Dublin Port, 24 August 1998: Report No 1999-008
SYNOPSIS
EI-MES was performing a demonstration in Dublin Port, in association with the Tall Ships Event which was being held in Dublin. The demonstration consisted of dropping a team of nine swimmers of the Irish Naval Service Diving Section, from the helicopter into the River Liffey. When they jumped from the moving helicopter, the swimmers suffered varying injuries. Two of the injured swimmers were hospitalised for more than 48 hours.
Incident: Boeing 737, EI-BXC, Cork Airport, 6 Jun 1998: Report No 1999-004
Synopsis