What happened
On June 8, 1998, a Jodel DR25, registration G-AWKP, departed Little Gransden in the United Kingdom, bound for Waterford Airport in Ireland. Although the flight began under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), deteriorating weather conditions forced the pilot to transition to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
Upon approaching Waterford, the pilot attempted an ILS approach but was unable to establish on the localizer. During a second missed approach attempt, the pilot realized he lacked the necessary ILS approach plates for the airport and was unable to follow radar vectors. Concurrently, a low fuel warning light activated, prompting the pilot to decline a request to climb for identification purposes.
Finding himself unable to reach the airport and facing insufficient fuel for further approaches, the pilot opted for a precautionary landing in a field near Leperstown, Co. Waterford. The aircraft's approach to the chosen field was too high, causing it to overshoot the primary landing area and strike a much smaller, steeply uphill field. The aircraft crossed a farm track and several fences before coming to a halt near farm buildings. Despite the aircraft destroyed in the impact, all three occupants escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's navigation, fuel management, and flight planning. Investigators examined the aircraft's fuel systems and found that while the left wing tank was empty, the main and right wing tanks still contained usable fuel. It was determined that the pilot had sufficient fuel for approximately 30 minutes of additional flight time at the moment of landing.
Technical analysis of the navigation methods revealed that the pilot was relying solely on a GPS waypoint, which had placed the aircraft on a course 60 degrees offset from the runway heading, making localizer capture nearly impossible. The investigation also scrutinized the pilot's credentials and flight preparation, noting a lack of appropriate weather briefings and inadequate planning for international airspace requirements.
Findings
- The pilot was not qualified to operate under IFR within Irish airspace.
- The flight was not planned with sufficient fuel reserves to allow for a diversion to a suitable alternate airfield.
- No suitable alternate airports in Ireland had been selected prior to departure.
- The pilot failed to properly evaluate early weather reports that should have discouraged crossing the Irish Sea.
- The pilot lacked the necessary skill, knowledge, and experience to safely conduct this specific flight.
- The pilot relied exclusively on GPS for navigation and lacked the required ILS approach plates.
- The pilot had not obtained a proper weather briefing before departure.