The Pilot had conducted a general handling and aerobatics flight in the aircraft, a Stolp Starduster TOO SA-300 biplane, followed by a return to land on the westerly grass runway at Ballyboy Airfield, Co. Meath. During the landing roll, the left main undercarriage leg gradually collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer to the left. During the subsequent runway excursion, the aircraft impacted a perimeter fence adjacent to the runway and came to rest facing in a south-easterly direction. The Pilot and Passenger were both uninjured. There was no fire.

While flying in the vicinity of Dunlavin, Co Wicklow in a Schleicher ASW 19 B single seat glider, the Pilot was unable to locate thermal activity to obtain sufficient lift to continue the flight and thus completed an ‘out-landing’. The Pilot reported that during the landing roll, the glider impacted a hedgerow surrounding the landing field and sustained substantial damage. The Pilot was uninjured.

Having completed two circuits to Runway 28 at Trim Airfield Co. Meath, the aircraft was on the ground roll phase prior to a planned third circuit. At approximately 35 – 40 miles per hour (mph), power was applied to accelerate the aircraft. The aircraft swung to the left, departed the side of the runway and continued through a barbed wire fence before coming to rest in an adjacent field. The aircraft was destroyed. The two occupants exited the aircraft unaided. There was no fire.

During an aerotow take-off from Gowran Grange Airfield, Co. Kildare, a Slovakian registered glider, hit trees at the airfield boundary and subsequently impacted into the ground in the adjoining field. The glider impacted through two sets of post and wire fencing. The glider was substantially damaged. The Pilot, who was the sole occupant of the glider, was uninjured in the accident.

During the take-off roll on Runway (RWY) 24 at Shannon Airport (EINN), Ireland, the Commander heard an unusual noise and elected to reject the take-off. Following the rejected take-off, the aircraft was taxied to a holding area for brake cooling. It was subsequently decided to return to the parking stand. During the taxi back to stand, Shannon ATC observed smoke and then a fire in the area of the left main landing gear. Airport Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS) vehicles were deployed and the fire was extinguished. The passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft via emergency slides. One passenger sustained a minor injury during the evacuation.

The twin-engine aircraft, a Partenavia P68 Victor, with one Pilot and three passengers on board, departed Waterford Airport (EIWF) at 11.08 hrs. All of the passengers were part of an environmental research team and the purpose of the flight was to record sightings of a variety of marine wildlife. The Pilot informed the Investigation that two minutes after commencing the final survey line (i.e. the 18th survey line), an abnormal drop in the indicated fuel quantity was observed, the right engine stopped. The Pilot reported that when the aircraft was turned towards EIWF at an altitude of approximately 250 ft, the left engine stopped. The Pilot then flew directly to the shore and when the aircraft reached the shore, he banked the aircraft to the left and carried out a forced landing on the beach.

A Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, registration EI-ICR (call sign Rescue 116), which was being operated by a private operator on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG), was en route from Dublin, on Ireland’s east coast, to Blacksod, Co. Mayo, on Ireland’s west coast. The Flight Crew’s intention was to refuel at Blacksod before proceeding, as tasked, to provide Top Cover for another of the Operator’s helicopters, which had been tasked to airlift a casualty from a fishing vessel, situated approximately 140 nautical miles off the west coast of Ireland. At 00.46 hrs, on 14 March 2017, while positioning for an approach to Blacksod from the west, the Helicopter, which was flying at 200 feet above the sea, collided with terrain at the western end of Black Rock, departed from controlled flight, and impacted with the sea. During the immediate search and rescue response, the Commander was found in the sea to the south-east of Black Rock and was later pronounced dead. Subsequently, the main wreckage of the Helicopter was found close to the south-eastern tip of Black Rock, on the seabed at a depth of approximately 40 metres. The deceased Co-pilot was located within the cockpit section of the wreckage and was recovered by naval service divers. Extensive surface and underwater searches were conducted; however, the two Rear Crew members were not located and remain lost at sea. Forty two Safety Recommendations are made as a result of this Investigation.

The Urban Air Samba UFM-10 aircraft, with two persons on board, landed on Runway (RWY) 07 at Fethard Airstrip, Co Tipperary, Ireland. A rapeseed crop was growing adjacent to each side of the grass runway. During the landing roll, the left wingtip made contact with the crop, which caused the aircraft to turn suddenly to the left and depart the runway. The aircraft’s landing gear sustained damage. The two occupants were uninjured, and exited the aircraft normally. There was no fire.

During an instructional flight at Cork Airport (EICK), a section of the left main landing gear assembly departed the aircraft following a touch-and-go landing on Runway (RWY) 25. The Instructor, after discussions with Cork Air Traffic Control (ATC), performed a controlled two-wheel landing at EICK following which he steered the aircraft onto the grass verge to the left of the runway. There were no injuries reported. There was no fire.

The aircraft took off from Runway (RWY) 29 at Kilrush Airfield (EIKH), Co. Kildare, at 18.02 hrs UTC, and was expected to land back at EIKH upon completion of the flight. The aircraft occupants’ families became concerned when the aircraft had not returned, and contact with An Garda Síochána was made that evening. The aircraft wreckage was located by the Dublin-based Search and Rescue helicopter (R116) at 03.29 hrs the following morning.