'Something seriously went wrong within sight of airport' - weather 'not believed to be a factor' in Waterford plane crash

"Kevin Byrne, a retired lieutenant colonel, airport safety and security auditor, said the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) is likely to release an initial report within 30 days. The incident occurred shortly before 1pm on Thursday when an Italian-built twin engine light aircraft went down in a field as it attempted to make an emergency landing, falling just short of the runway at Waterford Airport."

"From the impact damage I've seen in the photographs, this was a high speed impact. Something seriously went wrong within sight of the airport. The weather conditions are not a factor here yesterday, because it was a fantastic day. So the conditions were perfect for flying at any attitude, really and any distance. So I don't know what elements were involved in that, but it wasn't weather as a factor, he added."

"They have drones now available and they've got other methods of recording the field debris, in other words, what happened with the aircraft. And the pilot of course, will be taken away for a post-mortem examination when it's safe to do so. An issue in the investigation will be the size of the helicopter. Mr Byrne said: "The problem with the investigation in this case is that the aircraft is too small to have a requirement for a cockpit voice recorder."

An Italian-built twin-engine light aircraft went down in a field shortly before 1pm while attempting an emergency landing, falling just short of the runway at Waterford Airport and resulting in the pilot's death. Photographs indicate a high-speed impact and the crash occurred within sight of the airport. Weather was reported as excellent, so weather is not considered a factor. The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) deployed representatives and is expected to issue an initial report within 30 days. Investigators will examine impact damage, debris using drones and other recording methods, and arrange a post-mortem. The aircraft's small size likely means no cockpit voice or flight data recorder.

Read at Irish Independent