What happened
On 13 May 2018, a Cessna 208B, registration G-KNYS, was conducting parachuting operations at Clonbullogue Airfield in Co. Offaly. The flight departed from Runway 27 with the pilot, a young child in the right-hand seat, and 16 parachutists in the cabin. After climbing to 13,000 feet, the pilot coordinated with airfield personnel to release the 16 jumpers over the drop zone.
Following the completion of the jump, the pilot notified air traffic control that the aircraft was descending. While attempting to position the aircraft for a landing on the reciprocal runway, the aircraft disappeared from radar. An emergency signal from the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was later detected, leading to a search. The wreckage was discovered approximately 2.5 nautical miles northwest of the airfield, having impacted nose-down in a boggy, forested area. The two fatalities included the pilot and the passenger.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and recovered an Aircraft Data Acquisition System (ADAS) unit. While the unit's internal clock had failed due to an expired battery, the data correlated with radar records and indicated that the engine was producing power to the propeller until the end of the recording.
Witnesses at the scene provided accounts of the descent. One observer reported seeing the aircraft flying at a low altitude in a sideways attitude, while another witness described seeing the plane traveling straight down, nose-first, before hitting the trees. CCTV footage from a nearby wind farm and training facility also captured the aircraft assuming a steep, nose-down attitude during its final descent. Radar data from Dublin ATC showed the aircraft performing several turns and descending before losing contact, likely due to terrain masking.
Findings
- The aircraft impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude.
- The impact occurred in a forested, boggy area with significant fuel present at the site.
- Meteorological conditions at the time were generally favorable, with good visibility and light winds.
- The engine was still providing power to the propeller at the time the data recording ceased.