During an approach to Runway 28 Left (L) at Dublin Airport (EIDW), and while self-positioning
towards the Final Approach Fix (FAF), permission was requested for an orbit because the
Aircraft, which was being flown manually, had not established on the Instrument Landing
System (ILS). An orbit to the right was approved by ATC. While in the orbit, the Aircraft’s bank
angle briefly reached 44 degrees, which was followed by two low-airspeed events and an
altitude deviation. The orbit manoeuvre was abandoned, and following radar vectors, the
Aircraft established on the ILS and conducted an uneventful approach and landing.

At approximately 14:25 hrs on 30 July 2024, while operating in the vicinity of Killucan, Co. Westmeath, with an Instructor and a Student on board, control of the Helicopter was lost at a low altitude during a sixth practice autorotation. The Helicopter impacted with the surface of an agricultural field, then travelled forwards and impacted with a gable wall and roof of an agricultural building, where it came to rest in a nose-down attitude. Both occupants were fatally injured. There was no fire.

The Investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was a loss of control during a practice autorotation (with power recovery) manoeuvre; three contributory causes were also identified.

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

Approximately two hours into a flight from Kerry Airport (EIKY), Ireland to Aughrim Airstrip, Co. Down in Northern Ireland, the Aircraft, a Jodel DR1050-M, with three persons on board, experienced a loss of engine power. At the time, the Aircraft was being flown by a Pilot seated in the left seat. Following the loss of power, a second, more experienced Pilot, who was seated in the right seat, took control of the Aircraft and elected to conduct a forced landing into an agricultural field. Just before landing, the Aircraft stalled, impacted with the ground and bounced, before coming to rest inverted in the field. The three occupants were able to exit the Aircraft unaided. The Pilot seated in the right seat sustained serious injuries to his back and neck, while the two other occupants sustained minor injuries. There was no fire.

The Aircraft, with one person onboard, was returning to Finn Valley Airfield following a 15-minute local flight. As the Pilot reduced the engine to decelerate the Aircraft, the engine began to run rough and the instrument panel began to vibrate. The throttle was manipulated in an attempt to clear a suspected carburettor ice build-up, but the engine did not recover power, and it stopped. The Aircraft was pitched for its best glide speed and turned towards the runway while attempts were made to restart the engine. During the final approach, the Aircraft impacted with the boundary hedge of the airfield, short of the runway. There were no injuries reported and there was no fire.

Following an approach to land on Runway 28 Left (L) at Dublin Airport (EIDW), the A321 neo Aircraft briefly touched down on its left main landing gear and began to deviate from the runway centreline. The Aircraft then lifted slightly, before touching down again on the left main landing gear, followed less than a second later by the right main landing gear touching down. The Aircraft’s pitch angle increased and the Aircraft continued to deviate to the left of the runway centreline. The Commander, who was the Pilot Monitoring, called for a go-around, which was initiated by the First Officer, who was the Pilot Flying. A tail strike, which was heard by both the Flight Crew and the Cabin Crew, occurred when the Aircraft’s pitch angle was increased beyond the tail strike limit during the go-around manoeuvre. When the Aircraft became airborne again, ATC provided radar vectors for a return to EIDW and a second approach to Runway 28L was performed, followed by a normal landing.

The tail strike resulted in substantial damage to the lower surface of the tail section of the aircraft and its supporting structure. There was no fire, and no injuries were reported to the Investigation. The Investigation determined that the probable cause of the tail strike was over-rotation during a go-around manoeuvre that was initiated after main landing gear touchdown. Several contributory factors were identified.

Following a number of touch and go landings at Newcastle Aerodrome, the Pilot of the TOMARK Viper SD-4 RTC Aircraft conducted an approach with the intention of completing a full-stop landing. During this landing, the Aircraft bounced, which resulted in the nose landing gear fork, complete with nose wheel, separating from the Aircraft. The Aircraft came to a stop on the grass strip and the Pilot, who was the sole occupant, exited the Aircraft unaided. There was no fire, and no injuries were reported to the Investigation.

Whilst descending to delivery height, during a routine flight to a customer’s address in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, the Unmanned Aircraft (UA) impacted a nearby building. This impact caused the UA’s control system to initiate its flight termination protocol which included deployment of the onboard ballistic parachute. The UA descended, impacted the ground in a clear area adjacent to the building, and was substantially damaged. No injuries were reported to the Investigation.

Following a flight from its base in Scotland, the Helicopter, an AS 355 F2, with one Pilot on board, conducted an approach to Runway 26 at Ireland West Airport (EIKN). As the Helicopter manoeuvred at a low height towards Taxiway A, the Pilot felt a momentary ‘kick of yaw’ but retained full control of the Helicopter and subsequently landed at the allocated stand. After engine shutdown, the Pilot observed that a section of the tail rotor driveshaft fairing was missing and was later found on the runway. The fairing caused damage to the tail rotor driveshaft and tail rotor blades as it departed the Helicopter. No injuries were reported to the Investigation and there was no fire.

Shortly after take-off from ILAS Field at Taghmon, Co. Wexford, Ireland, the engine of the Bensen B8M Gyrocopter lost power. This necessitated a forced landing in a nearby agricultural field from a low height, during which the Gyrocopter contacted the ground hard and bounced before coming to rest. The Gyrocopter sustained substantial damage in the impact sequence. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. There was no fire

Please see the below Preliminary Report.

NOTE: This Preliminary Report contains information as known at this time and does not contain analysis or conclusions. This information is therefore subject to change and may subsequently be found to contain errors: any errors in this Report will be corrected in the Final Report.