Weather, terrain factors in plane crash

Rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, high terrain and a mistaken perception of the aircraft’s position relative to the ground all contributed to the air corps crash in which two men lost their lives, a report has found.

Flight instructor Captain Derek Furniss, 32, from Rathfarnham, Dublin, and Cadet David Jevens, 22, from Glynn, Co Wexford, died after their plane hit the ground nose down and at high speed, north of Lough Corrib on the Galway/Mayo border on Oct 12, 2009.

Capt Furniss’s last words, “bad decision now”, were heard on the cockpit voice recorder seconds before impact.

Investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Justice concluded that Capt Furniss was disoriented at the time of the accident, probably as a result of the vigorous manoeuvring that took place prior to the crash when he assumed control.

They believe he “only became aware of the true state of affairs at a time when the accident was inevitable”.

“By the time ground was seen, there was insufficient height to recover.”

Capt Furniss, chief instructor at the Air Corps Flight Training School in Casement, Baldonnell, and an acrobatic display pilot, was highly experienced and highly regarded, according to peers. Investigators felt this may have influenced his decision to press on into deteriorating weather and rising terrain.

Capt Furniss had also written papers about the different types of disorientation pilots can experience in certain situations during flight, some of which came into play during his final trip.

Cadet Jevens was “well above the average standard” of cadets completing their pilot wings training, according to training school instructors.

Among the report’s main findings were:

* Speed was not reduced in deteriorating weather close to high terrain, resulting in increased crew workload and stress;

* An unplanned attempt to re-route part of the flight was suggested by the instructor and then abandoned, probably due to the weather. He temporarily took control and turned the aircraft towards a ridge without reassessing the situation;

* There was uncertainty about how the flight was progressing due to poor visibility, low cloud and terrain;

* An attempt was made to recover just before impact. The flight crew did not initiate ejection.

A consultant radiologist who reviewed the pathological radiology results to assess if it could be determined which pilot was on the controls at time of impact concluded it was not possible to do so.

The investigators made several recommendations, including that instructors not be allowed self-authorise routine operations including training “as it reduces supervisory oversight”. Capt Furniss had been approved to self-authorise flights, although investigators could not find the documentation supporting this approval.

Investigators also said it was not ideal that the commanding officer at the flight training school did not have training in the two-seater aircraft type PC-9 (M) involved in the crash and that this should be reviewed.

It also recommended flight crews be given more information on spatial disorientation.

The publication of the report yesterday followed a temporary delay after the family of one of the deceased sought a review.