AAIU Reports

SYNOPSIS

The Pilot, the sole occupant of EI-SBM, was on a flight from Celtic Heliport, Knocksedan, Co Dublin to Weston Airport, Co. Kildare.  En route, the Pilot advised Air Traffic Control (ATC) that he was approaching Dunshaughlin. Shortly thereafter, he informed ATC that he had a problem and then, almost immediately, reported that he would have to make an emergency landing and made a “MAYDAY” call.  This was the Pilot’s final transmission to ATC.

The helicopter landed heavily on soft ground and rolled over onto its left hand side.  The helicopter was substantially damaged and the Pilot suffered serious back injuries.  During the initial AAIU Investigation at the accident site, some cleaning cloth material was found entangled on the long tail rotor drive-shaft, between the first and second bearing (first bearing facing FWD). 

It was also found that the drive-shaft had completely severed just forward of the second bearing, thus cutting off the vital drive to the tail rotor gearbox.  The Investigation concluded that the cloth induced out-of-balance forces on the shaft, causing the drive-shaft to fail. There was no fire.

SYNOPSIS

While an Airbus 320, EI-DVF, was lined up and holding on Runway (RWY) 27, a Cessna 172 was given permission to land on the same runway by the duty Air Traffic Controller.  This landing clearance meant that the Cessna aircraft over flew the stationary Airbus prior to touchdown deep on RWY 27.  This was contrary to Air Traffic Control (ATC) procedures and was not a safe manoeuvre.

SYNOPSIS

The planned flight was from Trim Airfield, Co. Meath to Weston Airport.  In the early stages of the climb out from Trim, the engine suddenly ceased producing power.  The Pilot applied carburettor heat and power was restored for a number of seconds.  However, the engine then stopped completely and the aircraft force landed in a field of barley close to the airfield.  The aircraft was substantially damaged.  The Pilot and his passenger were taken to hospital but they were not injured.  There was no fire.

SYNOPSIS

The Pilot”s Right Hand (RH) brake pedal broke off during brake release prior to ground handling. No passengers were on board and no further damage occurred. The aircraft had accumulated a high number of brake pedal applications and the brake pedal pillar suffered a fatigue fracture. The Manufacturer’s data and analysis suggests that this was a one-off event.

Synopsis

The aircraft was undertaking a charter flight from Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt (HESH) to Dublin on behalf of Thomson Airways, with the call-sign TOM 205.  Just after the aircraft touched down on Runway (RWY) 10 the flight crew reported to Air Traffic Control (ATC) that they saw ground equipment “right at the runway lights at the edge lighting here.”  The flight crew elaborated that what they had seen was a lone tractor lawnmower.

SYNOPSIS

Having completed a solo cross-country flight the Student Pilot lost directional control of his aircraft when landing back at Waterford Airport.  The aircraft departed over the side of the runway into grass and suffered minor damage.  The Student Pilot was un-injured. There was no fire.

The helicopter was engaged on an instructional flight detail from Weston Airport, Co. Kildare. Two persons were onboard, a Flight Instructor and a Student Pilot.  The helicopter departed Weston at 16.01 hrs and made its final radio contact at 16.12 hrs.  The last movement recorded at Weston on the day was the arrival of a privately owned helicopter at 19.21 hrs.  The Air Traffic Watch was closed shortly afterwards at 19.30 hrs, with the end of Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operation. 

SYNOPSIS

Shortly after take-off from Abbeyshrule Airfield (EIAB), the Pilot experienced a control problem with the ailerons, as the aircraft climbed.  They did not respond to his normal pilot input for a correction of bank to the right.  Control so disimproved that he had no option but to attempt a forced landing with the right wing dipping uncontrollably to the right.  It was in this attitude that the aircraft struck the ground and embedded in an earth bank near a minor roadway.  Both occupants were seriously injured.  There was no fire.

SYNOPSIS

The aircraft departed Lisbon with the Co-pilot as Pilot Flying (PF). The flight progressed without incident until commencing its approach to Dublin Airport.  The approach was made at night; the weather and visibility were good.  Due to scheduled maintenance on the main runway (RWY 10-28), RWY 34 was in use for landing.  The flight was cleared by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to carry out a non-precision approach to RWY 34.  During the approach, at approximately 5 nautical miles (nm) from touchdown, the aircraft began to deviate left of the approach course.  This deviation was due to the Flight Crew mis-identifying the lights of a hotel at Santry Cross as those of the runway approach lighting system on RWY 34.  The aircraft continued to descend below the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) without proper visual identification of the runway in use, and continued to descend to an altitude of 580 ft above mean sea level (AMSL) before executing a go-around.

At the point the go-around commenced, the aircraft was approximately 1,700 ft from the building and 200 ft above it.  On the instructions of ATC the aircraft turned right and climbed to a safe altitude.  The aircraft subsequently landed without further incident.  There were no injuries.

The aircraft had recently commenced operations with the IPC.   During its sixth flight, following refuelling, the Pilot reported a significant power loss while climbing through 9,000 ft.  The parachutists were instructed to jump from the aircraft, which then attempted to return to the Airfield.  The Pilot was unable to reach the airfield and touched down in a ploughed field short of the runway.  The nose undercarriage partially collapsed, the aircraft pitched over its nose and came to rest inverted.  The Pilot was uninjured.