Crashed aircraft not authorised to fly in Ireland

AN investigation into an aircraft accident in Co Wexford last year has revealed the plane was not authorised to operate in Ireland.

The pilot of the single-engine Kolb Twinstart was seriously injured when the light aircraft crash-landed at Killoughrum, near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, on June 4, 2007.

Air accident investigators established that the engine of the aircraft stopped without warning at an altitude of about 900ft roughly 20 minutes into the flight, which had taken off from a private airfield at Taghmon, Co Wexford.

The pilot, John Robb, 60, from Kyle, Co Wexford, was unable to restart the engine and was forced to make an emergency landing into a field of barley. Mr Robb suffered serious back injuries as a result of the heavy impact on hitting the ground.

Inspectors from the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport found the stoppage of the engine was the direct result of running out of fuel in one of the aircraft’s two fuel tanks.

However, they noted that the aircraft had overall sufficient fuel levels on board.

The investigators said the pilot’s low level of experience on the Kolb Twinstart was a contributory factor in the accident.

They also established that the amateur-built aircraft had a “permit to fly” from the British aviation authorities.

However, a condition of such a permit is that the aircraft can only be operated in British airspace for recreational purposes.

Permission to operate the aircraft in Ireland on a British “permit to fly” had not been sought from the Irish Aviation Authority, the investigation revealed.

The aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.