Stunt pilot avoids disaster after bird strike on plane

A stunt plane which, but for the skill of the pilot, could have crashed into spectators at an air show, was probably hit by a small bird, a report has found.

Accomplished pilot David Bruton, whose father Tommy died in a plane crash some years ago, narrowly avoided disaster by bringing his plane down in a field, despite substantial damage to the upper wing.

An investigation into the accident, which occurred during the Foynes Flying Boat festival in Jun 2011, found evidence of “a possible bird strike”.

Sections of the fabric on the upper wing of the Steen Skybolt biplane were torn loose, resulting in serious control difficulties. The aircraft subsequently went into rapid descent at a rate of 200ft-300ft per minute.

Mr Bruton, from Co Longford, told investigators he considered use of a parachute, but was too close to the ground and that spectator safety was also an issue.

He made a distress call to Shannon air traffic control, who offered an immediate landing, but believed the performance of the aircraft meant he would not have time to reach the runway.

He considered the beach, but the shore was “not suitable due to visible and submerged rocks”.

The report said the 41-year-old Mr Bruton “selected the best available field for a forced landing”, which he completed successfully, “narrowly clearing a stone wall” before touching down.

The inspector, Leo Murray, from the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport, said the pilot “was fortunate in having considerable aerobatic flight experience, a factor which no doubt led to the successful outcome of this event”.