Irish Air Corps Aircraft crashes in Co Galway.

Steyr

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1012/cornamona.html

Aer Corps aircraft crashes in Co Galway
Monday, 12 October 2009 19:51
The Irish Aviation Authority has said an Aer Corps Pilatus PC9 aircraft has crashed at Crumlin East near Cornamona in Connemara, Co Galway.

The accident is believed to have happened shortly after 6pm this evening.

Emergency services, including a Coast Guard helicopter, ambulances and fire service personnel are on the way to the scene.

A spokesman for the Coast Guard service said a number of local people had reported seeing the aircraft in difficulty and preparing to make an emergency landing.

The Irish Aviation Authority says three Aircorp planes were operating in the area earlier this evening.

So far only two have been accounted for.

The spokeswoman said there was no further information about how many people were on board






:(

Asmodean

Was just running up the shop in Doughiska at about seven o clock when I saw the search and rescue chopper passing overhead. Was wondering what was going on.

Steyr

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1012/cornamona.html

Air Corps aircraft crashes in Co Galway
Monday, 12 October 2009 20:37
The Irish Aviation Authority has said an Air Corps Pilatus PC9 aircraft has crashed at Crumlin East near Cornamona in Connemara, Co Galway.

The aircraft carrying a flight instructor and cadet were part of a flying training exercise of three aircraft that left Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel at 5.45pm.

The accident is believed to have happened shortly after 6pm this evening.

The two other aircraft have safely returned to Galway airport.

A number of local people reported seeing the aircraft in difficulty and preparing to make an emergency landing.

An Air Accident Investigation team from the Air Corps and Department of Transport have been dispatched to the area.

_________________________________________________________________
It was a three ship flight.:(

Fey!

Any sign of the 2 missing personnel yet? I sincerely hope that they're OK.

JohnCleary

We were at Maam bridge on the boat and saw the mist coming in FAST around 17.50 so decided to head for home. By the time we got to Doorus the Maam mountains couldn't be seen. I have honestly never seen such thick mist come in over the mountains so quick, viz went very low.

RIP to the 2 in the plane that crashed

galwayrush

Very sad, R.I.P.

Zzippy

Jeez, was driving back from Castlebar and wondered what all the ambulances and squad cars were doing heading out that way.
I lost a friend last week who was in the Air Corps, he probably would have known the guys aboard. RIP

Steyr

Defence Forces Press Office
12 October 2009. 11.10 pm.

Statement
The crew and wreckage of the Air Corps Pilatus PC 9 reported missing this evening have been located and the two crew members, the flight instructor and cadet pilot, are unfortunately confirmed dead. Their remains are at the scene of the crash, which has been sealed off by local Gardaí and Fire Crews.

The crash site will be examined at first light tomorrow morning by Air Accident Investigators from the Air Corps and Department of Transport. The remains of the two crew can only be removed after the scene has been cleared of the explosives from the PC 9 ejector seats which would be at the crash site also.

Names of the crew of the aircraft will not be released until it is confirmed that their families have been informed by Air Corps personnel. The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Dermot Earley and the General Officer Commanding the Air Corps, Brigadier General Ralph James have expressed their deepest sympathies on behalf of the Defence Forces at this difficult time for the families of these deceased airmen.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Note: The location of the crash site is in the area of Crumlin-East/Crumlin West, north of Lough Corrib, on the Galway-Mayo border.
ENDS.

May They Rest In Peace.:(

JohnCleary

It would be interesting to find out at what altitude the crash occured at ie. Did the plane hit a mountain. The mist was VERY heavy at the time of crash... We were only doing 30MPH but still decided to bail before the mist came down, can't imagine how much more difficult it'd have been to control a plane in mist

alibabba

Very said to hear.
Whats the story with those PC9 planes, are they fast moving planes/jets?

Steyr

alibabba wrote: »

Very said to hear.
Whats the story with those PC9 planes, are they fast moving planes/jets?

They are very quick Training Aircraft 320 knots.

Steyr

Two pilots die in Air Corps crash
Tuesday, 13 October 2009 11:53
Air accident investigators have gone to the scene of last night's air crash in Connemara in which two Air Corps pilots lost their lives.

Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens were taking part in a training flight, in what were described as poor weather conditions, at the time of the crash.

The bodies are not expected to be removed from the crash scene until later today.

The Air Corps took this decision because the aircraft has ejector seats - which contain explosive charges - and these will have to be removed by army ordinance experts.

Rescue teams who reached the scene last night said the plane had crashed in exceptionally rough and rocky terrain, 2km from the nearest road.

They said debris had been scattered over an adjoining area.

So far there is no indication of what caused the crash.

Weather conditions in the area deteriorated overnight and there is low cloud and heavy mist in the mountain valley where the Pilatus PC-9 aircraft crashed.

Captain Derek Furniss ( 32 ) joined the Defence Forces in October 1994 and is a qualified pilot since 1996 and a qualified flight instructor since 1999.

He has over 3,000 flight hours and was the Chief Flight Instructor on the Pilatus aircraft and member of the Air Corps PC-9 Display Team. Cpt Furniss, originally from Ballinteer in Dublin, was not married but was living with his partner in Dublin.

Cadet David Jevens ( 22 ) joined the Defence Forces as an Air Corps Cadet in 2006 and was at the advanced stages of flight training on the PC-9 with over 160 flight hours and 50 simulator training hours over the past three years flight training. He was due for commissioning as a pilot later this year. Cadet Jevens was single and was from Glynn, Co Wexford.


President Mary McAleese said she had learned with 'shock and sadness' of the tragic deaths of two members of the Air Corps, while Taoiseach Brian Cowen extended his sympathy to their families and to the Air Corps saying he too was shocked and saddened to learn of the accident.

gary82

Steyr wrote: »

He has over 3,000 flight hours and was the Chief Flight Instructor on the Pilatus aircraft and member of the Air Corps PC-9 Display Team.

Are they the guys that were doing the display out in Salthill when the VOR boats were leaving?

Storm 10

gary82 wrote: »

Are they the guys that were doing the display out in Salthill when the VOR boats were leaving?

I understand from a friend in the know that Capt Derek Furniss the instructor flew the PC9 solo display during the Volvo ocean race departure from Galway, the 2nd person Cadet David Jevens was not qualified yet so would not have been here, he was due to be commisioned as a pilot later this year.

Terrible sad news RIP.

Steyr

Been reported on worldairpics that Pilatus PC-9M, registration 265, was the aircraft that crashed in Connemara.

As it so happens, 265 was the aircraft that flew the solo display at the Connemara Air Show at Clifden in June of this year.

http://www.worldairpics.com/forum/index.php?topic=1866.15

gary82

Not my photos - click through to owners' flickr pages.

RIP

Fey!

Very unfortunate accident.

Condolances to their families and friends.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Cdt Jevens would have been 22 today. Horrible tragedy, my heart goes out to both families. RIP.

Steyr

From military.ie

http://www.military.ie/dfhq/pubrel/news/2009/october/new13Octa.htm

Tributes Paid to Air Corps Crew

The remains of Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens have been removed from the crash site to University College Hospital Galway. As the investigation continues into the causes of the crash of the Pilatus PC-9 last night, General Officer Commanding the Air Corps, Brigadier General Ralph James summed up the mood at the moment by saying:

"The Air Corps is devastated by the loss these two very fine young men. The mood here is very sombre. Derek was a consummate professional who set and drove standards in all his work in Baldonnel.

David was living his life’s dream to become an Air Corps pilot and was on the cusp of achieving that later in the year with his classmates. Their loss is felt deeply here in Casement but also within the family’s I have met and the community’s they are from."

Captain Matt Quinlan who worked and instructed with Derek Furniss in the Flight Training School spoke of the loss of the two men saying:

“Derek worked in flight training for a long time here in Baldonnel and his legacy will always be the standards he set for everyone. He was an excellent teacher and he was always the steady hand within the school that was called upon for informed insight into individual cadet pilots. He was also an avid Leinster Rugby supporter who held season tickets.

David was a member of the 27 Air Corps Cadet Class with six other classmates who have visited his family today. He was a quiet individual who worked very hard. When you flew with him you knew his preparation would be 100% because he was so committed. He went home to his beloved Wexford every weekend to be with friends and family and would have turned 22 [years of age] today.

This is a very difficult time for all of us here, but nothing compared to Derek and David’s families and our hearts go out to them. Their loss is immeasurable.”

From a young age Captain Derek Furniss was highly involved in Scouting Ireland and actively supported and promoted scouting activities in south Dublin. He completed the Dublin City Marathon in 2008 and went on to further athletic success with Rathfarnham Athletic Club. Derek was also an avid Leinster and Ireland rugby fan and as a season ticket holder attended every home game.

Derek recently achieved academic success with the award of a first class honours Bachelor of Science Degree through the School of Business in DIT. He also held a Degree in Marketing and as fan of Coldplay attended all their recent Irish concerts.

Cadet David Jevens was scheduled to graduate with his Military Pilot Wings and Officer Commission later this year. David also had a keen interest in motor sports, owning and restoring several vehicles. In recent times, he became involved in Kayaking and, in the process, taught himself to swim. A keen model aircraft pilot, David was renowned in the Wexford model flying community for his skill, and also his enduring interest in Search and Rescue flying.

As a mark of respect to our two Air Corps colleagues the Defence Forces Annual Gala Concert scheduled for Saturday 17 October 2009 at the National Concert Hall has been postponed until the New Year.

JohnCleary

Wonder if this will give the Irish Air Corps the incentive to cop the fcuk on and invest in some modern equipment (I'm not just talking about the planes - anyone with an aviation (sp?) interest replying to this comment will know what i'm talking about)

Steyr

JohnCleary wrote: »

Wonder if this will give the Irish Air Corps the incentive to cop the fcuk on and invest in some modern equipment (I'm not just talking about the planes - anyone with an aviation (sp?) interest replying to this comment will know what i'm talking about)

Hi John, the problem is that these PC9M's are indeed state-of-the-art training Aircraft, infact they are crammed with top notch equipment including advanced VFR/IFR avionics for Navigation and Communication and flight displays, the PC9M features a glass cockpit and Head Up Display, so nobody really knows what happened but i can say these Aircraft are so good that a few months ago the Portuguese Air Force visited the main training base in the UK for the RAF ( RAF Linton-On-Ouse ) before visiting our guys in Baldonnel to pick which new Trainer type they wanted in the Portuguese Air Force to replace their old trainer Aircraft, now they were so impressed by our PC9M's over the RAF's Tucano's that they are considering the PC9M to meet their needs and they basically were unimpressed by the Tucano.

Also the "M" in PC9M stands for Military Version.

Sponge Bob

From the speed the others landed at in Galway I think they may suspect contaminated fuel .

Steyr

Sponge Bob wrote: »

From the speed the others landed at in Galway I think they may suspect contaminated fuel .

AFAIK they were due to land at Carnmore ( EICM ) for a refuel, the PC9M would come in to land at an above average speed for landing when you consider her Stall speed is 128 km/h with gear and flaps down where as the likes of a Cessna's landing speed is around 60 or under.