AAIU Reports
The following is a listing of Investigation Reports published by the Air Accident Investigation Unit concerning accidents and incidents that occurred within Ireland, including its airspace and territorial waters. This list will also include Investigations concerning Irish-registered and/or operated aircraft which were delegated to the AAIU by Foreign Accident Investigation Authorities in accordance with ICAO Annex 13. Reports may be sorted based on Occurrence Date or Publication Date using the Search Facility below.
Final Report: Accident Coopavia, PIEL CP301A, (G-ASLX) Mullinahone Airfield, Co. Tipperary Report – 2017-011
September 27, 2017
SYNOPSIS
The Pilot had intended performing a flight to Sligo airport. He brought the aircraft out of his hangar to hand-start the engine by swinging the propeller. He set the throttle to ‘a higher than the usual setting’, and set the ignition switch to ‘ON’. There was no one aboard the aircraft, and the aircraft wheels had not been chocked. When the Pilot swung the propeller the engine started and the aircraft commenced moving across the airfield, where it impacted a boundary hedge and overturned. The aircraft came to rest inverted on an electric fence in a neighbouring field. A post impact fire occurred which destroyed the aircraft. There were no injuries.
Final Report: Accident Cessna FA152, (EI-EDC) Adamstown Airfield, Co. Meath 31 March 2017 Report – 2017-010
September 25, 2017
SYNOPSIS
The aircraft departed Weston Airport (EIWT) with the intention of carrying out a solo navigation exercise under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to Kinnegad, Co Meath, returning to EIWT. Shortly after passing close to the town of Enfield the Student Pilot noted a band of cloud and rain to the south of their position. In order to remain in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), the Pilot elected to divert to Trim Airfield (EITM). Having located what was thought to be EITM, and with poor weather closing in, the Pilot attempted a landing. The aircraft touched down on an area of tilled soil to the south of the prepared grass runway. The aircraft also ‘landed long’, in that it did not touch down at the beginning of the chosen landing area, and due to the soft soil, when the brakes were applied, it pitched tail over nose and came to rest inverted. The Pilot sustained minor injuries.
Final Report: Accident CFM Streak Shadow, (G-BVTD) Tory Island, Co. Donegal, Ireland,9 May 2016 Report – 2017-009
September 20, 2017
SYNOPSIS
While on a private flight from Finn Valley Airfield, Co. Donegal, the microlight’s engine cut out when it was over Tory Island, off the north-west coast of Donegal. The engine could not be restarted, which resulted in the Pilot, who was the sole occupant of the microlight, making a forced landing on rough ground adjacent to a roadway on the island. The microlight was substantially damaged. The Pilot sustained minor injuries. There was no fire.
Final Report: Accident Colibri MB-2, (EI-EWZ) ILAS Airfield, Taghmon, Co. Wexford, 9 June 2017 Report – 2017-008
September 12, 2017
SYNOPSIS
The Colibri MB-2 aircraft took off from ILAS Airfield, Taghmon, Co. Wexford for a local flight. Shortly after take-off the canopy of the aircraft opened unexpectedly. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant, managed to close the canopy but was unable to lock it shut. Whilst holding the canopy closed with one hand, the Pilot completed a circuit and approach back to ILAS Airfield. During the final approach the aircraft flared slightly too high, followed by a hard landing. The aircraft sustained damage to both main wheels, the propeller and the left wing. The Pilot reported no injuries.
Final Report: Accident BRM Land Africa, (EI-FMO) Limetree Airfield Co. Laois, 24 May 2017- Report 2017-007
August 17, 2017
SYNOPSIS
The Pilot of a BRM Land Africa was conducting local circuits at Limetree Airfield, Co. Laois. On the third circuit, during the landing flare to Runway (RWY) 19, the aircraft suddenly lost lift. The Pilot attempted to correct this by increasing the pitch attitude, but the aircraft landed firmly on the nose wheel. The nose wheel and fork separated from the aircraft. The propeller then impacted the ground sustaining significant damage. The Pilot was uninjured.
Preliminary Report: Accident Sikorsky S-92A, (EI-ICR) Black Rock, Co. Mayo Ireland 14th March 2017 Report – 2017-006
April 13, 2017
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 contain errors; any errors in this Report will be corrected in the Final Report.
Final Report Serious Incident: Sikorsky S-92A, (EI-ICG) Hook Head Co. Wexford, 6 December 2015 Report – 2017-005
March 8, 2017
SYNOPSIS
During a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission in the vicinity of Hook Head, Co. Wexford on the afternoon of 6 December 2015, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter crew located and winched two casualties from the water. During the winching operation one of the casualties, a 14 year old girl, slipped from the rescue strop and fell into the water from a height of approximately 45 ft. The casualty was recovered immediately from the water and winched up to the helicopter again. Both casualties were transferred to a nearby hospital in Waterford for medical treatment. The Investigation was subsequently informed by An Garda SÃochána that one of the casualties, a 14 year old girl, had died on 10 December 2015.
Final Report: Accident Westland Gazelle HT MK.3 (SA 341) (G-BXTH) Abbeyshrule Co. Longford Ireland, 15 July 2015 Report – 2017-004
March 2, 2017
SYNOPSIS
While attempting to land on a canal bank adjacent to a restaurant/guesthouse in Abbeyshrule, Co. Longford, the main rotor blades of the helicopter made contact with a timber-clad wall of the building. This caused the tail of the helicopter to swing rapidly towards the wall and collide with it. The tail boom separated from the helicopter, broke apart, and came to rest in the canal. The helicopter rolled to the right and impacted with the canal bank. Debris was scattered over a large area of the canal and its bank. There was no fire. The Pilot and Passenger evacuated the helicopter and were uninjured. One person, who was in the building at the time of the event, received minor injuries.
Final Report: Serious Incident Airbus A320-214, (EI-DVJ) at Dublin Airport, Ireland, 03 October 2015 – Report 2017-003
February 14, 2017
SYNOPSIS
Immediately after take-off from Dublin (EIDW), on an early morning scheduled passenger flight to Munich, Germany (EDDM), the Flight Crew detected an unusual odour in the cockpit. A short time later, the Cabin Crew reported that there were fumes in the aircraft cabin. Following an assessment of the situation, the Flight Crew declared a PAN (state of urgency) to Air Traffic Control (ATC) and donned their oxygen masks. The aircraft returned to EIDW, where a normal landing and taxi to stand were performed. The passengers disembarked using an air bridge.
The fumes were subsequently attributed to an incorrectly performed engine wash procedure, which was carried out by maintenance personnel the night before the occurrence flight. No injuries were reported to the Investigation.
Final Report: Serious Inciden: Bombardier DHC 8-402 (Q400), (G-ECOP) Dublin CTA near point VATRY, 27 April 2016 Report – 2017-002
January 20, 2017
SYNOPSIS
On a scheduled passenger flight, shortly before descent into Dublin (EIDW), the Co-pilot began to feel unwell and requested to leave the flight deck for a few minutes. Before the Co-pilot left his seat, the Commander felt an unexpected aircraft upset in the form of a yaw and roll to the left. The Co-pilot, who had become incapacitated, had inadvertently made an input to the left rudder pedal. The Commander returned the aircraft to normal flight and the aircraft landed without further incident. There were no injuries.