Pilot died instantly in plane crash

Pilot died instantly in plane crash


Anton McNulty

THE investigation into how a two-seater light aircraft crashed into a field in east Mayo, killing the pilot, minutes after taking off from Ireland West Airport Knock, has yet to be finalised, the inquest into the death of the pilot was told yesterday (Monday).
Mr Markus Casey (51), a single man, of 1A Dr Mannix Road, Salthill, Galway died instantly on May 11 last after he was forced to undertake an emergency landing at Coolnamanna, Kilmovee after reporting engine trouble from his 1980 Beechcraft single-engine plane.
Mr Casey, an archaeologist by profession, was accompanied by Mr John Dunphy from Dublin and was travelling to Weston airfield in Dublin after offering Mr Dunphy a lift. Mr Dunphy told the inquest that he had flown earlier in the day from an airfield in Newcastle, Co Wicklow to Knock and met with Mr Casey.
Mr Dunphy said he felt there was nothing untoward about the take-off and it was five minutes after take-off that Mr Casey made a PAN call to Knock Airport saying that he was losing power. Mr Dunphy explained that a PAN call was an urgency call and was a level below a full emergency.
Mr Dunphy said that this plane had a similar engine to his and he did not notice anything wrong with the sound of it. He explained that it was not spluttering or running roughly and was in disbelief when he heard Mr Casey make the radio call. He said he had no conversation with Mr Casey about what was wrong with the plane but added that he could not see the dials and surmised that Mr Casey saw something wrong.
Mr Dunphy said the last thing he remembered was Mr Casey telling Air Traffic Control that he wouldn’t make the airport and was looking for a place to land. Mr Dunphy said the next thing he remembered was waking up in the wreckage and hearing people talking to him. He said he suffered a broken leg, femur, kneecap and arm in the accident.
In a statement given to Gardaí, Mr Jason Murray, the Air Traffic Controller at Ireland West Airport, stated that, at 3.37pm, Mr Casey’s plane landed at Knock from Galway Airport, and at 4.30pm he requested starter clearance. The plane departed at 4.35pm and, at 4.42pm, Mr Casey informed him that there was a vibration in the engine and requested permission to return to the airfield. At 4.43pm, he got a PAN call from the plane and, at 4.45pm, Mr Casey indicated that he was going to seek a suitable field in which to land. At 4.47pm, he indicated that he would have to land. Mr Murray stated that the pilot was calm but his last transmission was at 16:47 and 44 seconds.
Mr Paddy Judge, an inspector with the Air Accidents Investigation Unit, explained that the full report into the crash had not been completed and he could not disclose all the information. He said he spoke to witnesses who described a labouring engine, which stopped, restarted for a couple of seconds and stopped again some seconds prior to the noise of impact. He said one witness reported a misfire, and on inspection of the wreckage, the propeller did not exhibit signs of rotation at impact.
The investigation of the engine showed the inlet valves in cylinder two and three were found damaged with radial cracking extending from the valve seat towards the stem. He added that the case of the radial cracking had not been determined and the investigation was on-going.
Ms Judith Keane, who witnessed the crash, said she saw the plane fly very low over her house and said the engine cut out. Mr Patrick Murphy described hearing a noise similar to thunder and said the plane crashed 200 yards from the house he was in. He said he ran to the plane and saw a body of a man over the wing. Dr Seamus Kennedy attended the scene and, after examining Mr Casey, declared him dead at 5.40pm.
Dr Fadel Bennani, Consultant Pathologist carried out a post mortem on Mr Casey and explained that he suffered bilateral rib fracture, a fracture to the right forearm and compound fracture of the left forearm, and a fracture to the base of the skull. He said he tested negative for alcohol. He said a fracture to the base of the skull was very serious and the cause of death was due to multiple fatal injuries including extensive fracture of the base of the skull with subarachenoid haemorrhage. He added that he would have died within a second of impact.
The jury gave a verdict of accidental death and Mr Patrick O’Connor, Coroner for Mayo East, expressed his sympathy to the family of Mr Casey and to Mr Dunphy. He said there were not many options open to a pilot when a single-engine aircraft suffered problems but stressed that aircraft travel remained one of the safest modes of transport. Mr Frank Joyce, solicitor for Mr Casey’s family, said it was a tough time for the family and thanked all those who came to assistance when the plane crashed. Superintenent Willie Keavaney also expressed his sympathy to the family of Mr Casey.