‘Damaged valves’ on downed plane

DAMAGED valves have been found in the engine of a Beechcraft Skipper plane which lost power and crashed in Co Mayo in May, killing the pilot and seriously injuring the passenger.

Markus Casey of Salthill in Galway was killed instantly when the plane plummeted into a field at Kilmovee and John Dunphy, a senior engineer with Wicklow County Council, was injured.

Just seven minutes after taking off from Knock Airport for Weston aerodrome on May 11, Mr Casey reported “limited power and being unable to hold altitude and then attempted a forced landing in difficult terrain”, according to a preliminary air accident report.