Witnesses to a fatal light aircraft tragedy over Duncormick area on Sunday, October 6^th, reported to the Air Accident Investigation Unit that the aircraft had emitted a loud noise, disintegrated in the air and began spiralling downwards, killing two men on board and completely destroyed the aircraft.

Peter Tawse, (61), from Bushpark, Newbawn, Co. Wexford, and John Finnan, (56), from Naas, Co. Kildare, were both killed instantly when their Rollason Condor aircraft experienced catastrophic mid-flight complications during a flight that had taken off from Taghmon Airfield about 30 minutes earlier.

Details of what occurred on the flight are contained in a preliminary report published today by the Air Accident Investigation Unit. A more comprehensive and final report will be published when the investigation is fully concluded.

The accident aircraft was operated on an earlier flight which involved the same instructor and a different pilot. The earlier flight departed Taghmon Airfield (EIIF) at approximately 15.00 hrs, and was the first of a number of flights the other pilot planned to take as preparations for a licence flight (skill) test. The (other) pilot reported that his flight lasted approximately one hour and included “a few tight turns, a few stalls and then mostly circuits”. The aircraft handling and performance throughout this flight were reported to be normal and no anomalies were noticed. Following the flight, the aircraft returned to the airfield.

After the aircraft returned from its earlier flight it was scheduled to do another flight – the accident flight. The aircraft taxied out to the northern end of the airfield and, at approximately 16.10 hrs, was observed to take off to the south, before turning to the south-west and circling back around, climbing all the time. The aircraft crossed to the north of the airfield and then turned south-west, continuing to climb and proceed in a south-westerly direction. The aircraft was observed from the airfield until it went out of sight and it was described as a “complete normal take-off, a complete normal climb” to at least 3,000 ft.

At approximately 16.40 hrs, witnesses reported that the aircraft had emitted a loud noise and disintegrated in the air. Local persons and emergency services proceeded to the scene and determined that both occupants had been fatally injured. The accident site was located near Gibletstown, in the Duncormick area. The aircraft wreckage was spread over several agricultural fields. The main wreckage comprised the propeller, engine, instrument panel, right-hand wing and the root of the left-hand wing. The underwing fixed undercarriage legs were both still attached. The two occupants were located approximately 50 metres (m) away from the main wreckage. The aircraft’s tail-wheel was located in a ditch close to one of the occupants. A section of cockpit internal structure, complete with seatbelt harnesses and attachment points, was located nearby in a field; the entangled harnesses were observed to be fastened. The aircraft was destroyed. There was no fire.

Several witnesses reported hearing waxing and waning engine sounds, as the aircraft manoeuvred. Other witnesses reported that immediately prior to the accident the aircraft executed three loop manoeuvres. During the descent from the apogee of the third loop, two loud noises (variously described as bangs or cracking sounds) were heard, parts were seen to separate from the aircraft, and the aircraft began spiralling downwards.

The aircraft EI-BDX was constructed by Rollason Aircraft and Engines Ltd, at Croydon Airport, Surrey, United Kingdom, in 1965, and powered by a Rolls-Royce O-200A engine It had an enclosed cockpit with two seats, in a side-by-side configuration. The aircraft was a “tail wheel aircraft”, meaning that it had two main undercarriage legs, one under each wing, and a steerable tail wheel (under the tail of the aircraft).