Out of left field as plane drama astounds shoppers

STARTLED shoppers could have been forgiven for thinking the recession was over and Celtic Tiger II had arrived when a light aircraft landed at one of Limerick’s biggest shopping centres yesterday – and then took off after refuelling.

However, the plane’s touch down did not mark the arrival in style of a pampered pilot, but an aviator with survival rather than sales on their mind.

Perplexed Tesco shoppers last evening watched in amazement as the single engine light aircraft landed in a field adjacent to the shopping centre after running out of fuel.

Tesco may often boast about its extensive array of consumer goods, but, so far, airplane fuel isn’t one of them.

Nonetheless, the plane touched down near the Tesco outlet in Clondrinagh off the Ennis road. According to sources the pilot, who is a part-time musician, ran out of fuel on route to the nearby Coonagh airfield.

One source said: “He affected a brilliant landing in a field near the Tesco outlet. The aircraft Aeronca single engine appeared to have run out of fuel as the pilot who is from Limerick was returning to Coonagh after a flight upcountry.”

To the amazement of Tesco shoppers a vehicle arrived into the field with fuel and the plane took off and completed its journey.

A source at Coonagh Airfield said: “The pilot made a call and a few of the lads travelled over to the field where he was stranded with a five-gallon drum of aviation fuel. When this was loaded into the plane he took off again.”