What happened
On 13 June 2019, a Bristell NG5, registration G-OJCS, departed Kilrush Airfield in County Kildare for a local flight. The aircraft initially climbed to 1,400 feet and performed a left-hand orbit approximately 6 nautical miles northwest of the airfield. Following this maneuver, the aircraft transitioned to a southerly heading before turning southeast and climbing to 3,200 feet.
As the aircraft flew south of Kilrush Airfield, it performed several turns and eventually established a westerly heading. During this phase of the flight, data indicates that engine power was reduced while the aircraft maintained an altitude of roughly 3,200 feet, accompanied by a decrease in airspeed. At 18:21 UTC, the aircraft entered a rapid descent, impacting an agricultural field near Belan approximately 30 seconds later. The impact resulted in 2 fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft. There was no post-crash fire.
The investigation
The AAIU examined the wreckage at the accident site and later moved the aircraft to a secure facility for detailed analysis. Investigators utilized several data streams to reconstruct the flight path, including witness accounts, Air Traffic Control radar returns, and information from on-board navigation equipment.
Data recovered from a Dynon Skyview HDX panel and a tablet-based navigation application allowed investigators to track the aircraft's position and altitude from takeoff until the descent. Radar data from both Shannon and Dublin Air Traffic Services confirmed the aircraft's flight path, with altitude and speed readings consistent with the on-board digital logs. Physical examination of the wreckage suggested the aircraft struck the ground at a high vertical rate in a nearly level attitude, while rotating anticlockwise around the yaw axis.
Findings
- The aircraft was a home-built, all-metal Bristell NG5 powered by a Rotax 912ULS engine.
- During the final stages of the flight, engine power was reduced as the aircraft's airspeed decreased.
- Weather conditions at the time of the accident included light north-westerly winds and scattered cloud layers between 2,500 and 4,000 feet.
- Witnesses observed the aircraft flying and sounding normally prior to the accident.