What happened
The crew departed from Baldonnel-Casement AFB to conduct a local post-maintenance test flight. While maneuvering around the airbase perimeter, the pilot did not recognize that the aircraft's altitude was insufficient for safe operation. The airplane subsequently struck a tree and crashed into the area between numbers 31 and 33 Terenure Road in the West Dublin suburb. Upon impact, the aircraft caught fire.
Findings
The accident resulted in two fatalities and one serious injury among the occupants. There were no casualties on the ground. The primary contributing factor was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude during the flight phase.