Lack of experience led to Shinrone plane crash

A pilot with 35 hours flying experience, who did not hold a pilot's licence valid for Ireland, caused serious injury to both himself and his passenger when his plane crashed near Shinrone after hitting phone cables. The pilot's lack of overall flying experience, and his lack of experience in approaching a second runway at the private airstrip in Shinrone was also deemed a “contributory cause†of the accident, which took place last year on December 27 at 4.20pm in fading light. The pilot was aware of the cables but misjudged the clearance of his aircraft. He was making a low approach to the runway, as he thought that he had seen a person walking alongside it. No evidence of any technical defect in the plane was found. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash. The Air Accident Investigation Unit published an investigation into the incident this month. The plane, which was returning to land at the airstrip following a sight-seeing flight, struck an overhead telephone line running alongside the boundary wall of the airstrip field, and hit the field some 20 metres inside the wall. It was the third flight that the pilot had taken that day with either a friend or family member. They were the first flights which the pilot had undertaken as Pilot-in-Command with passengers accompanying him. Several people arrived on-site almost immediately. Witnesses informed the investigation that they had cut the shoulder straps at the passenger seat, while the lap straps restraining both occupants were opened normally. There was a considerable amount of wreckage around the pilot's feet. The witnesses removed this and then pulled the pilot clear of the plane as he was lying on top of the passenger who was in a lot of pain. A close relative of the pilot phoned the local doctor who arrived quickly with his two sons, also doctors. A fire brigade from Roscrea also arrived on scene and provided assistance including oxygen and drips. An ambulance from Tullamore arrived on scene at 5.14pm. The gardai called for a second ambulance at 4.43pm and it arrived from Portlaoise at 5.44pm. All emergency vehicles had been advised to travel with extreme caution due to icy roads. For the previous two flights, the pilot had used Runway 22, but was uncomfortable with landing into what he described as a “watery sunâ€. He discussed the glare from the sun with another pilot who was present. The other pilot suggested the reciprocal runway direction, RWY 04, since the wind at surface level was very light. They also discussed the danger of the overhead telephone cables. The AAIU did not sustain any safety recommendations.