ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 185591
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| Date: | Sunday 20 March 2016 |
| Time: | 17:45 |
| Type: |  Laser Z-200 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | PH-LSR |
| MSN: | PFA 123-1268 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Abbeyshrule Aerodrome (EIAB), Co. Longford -
 Ireland
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Abbeyshrule Aerodrome (EIAB) |
| Abbeyshrule Aerodrome (EIAB) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIU |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On the day of the accident the pilot had travelled by air to Inishmore Airfield (EIIM) on the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, with some friends and members of a local flying club. They travelled in two groups: one group in a Cessna 182S and the other group in a Samba XXL aircraft. The pilot flew the Cessna 182S to the Aran Islands. They departed EIIM around 16.00 hrs to return to Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, with the pilot as a rear-seat passenger. After landing at Abbeyshrule the pilot told his friends in the Cessna 182S that he was going to take his recently purchased aircraft, a Laser Z200, for a local flight. He was subsequently observed preparing it for departure. During the pre-flight inspection, the pilot secured two GoPro Hero video cameras to the aircraft: The first on the engine cowling in front of the cockpit facing rearwards, and the second on the left wingtip facing towards the cockpit. The pilot then boarded the aircraft and closed the canopy.
The pilot started the engine, taxied the aircraft to the threshold of runway 10, completed an engine run, and then departed in an easterly direction. The aircraft climbed in this direction for a short period of time before it turned to fly back towards Abbeyshrule Aerodrome and align with the approach path for runway 28. The aircraft was seen to descend towards the runway and complete six rapid banking manoeuvres to the left and right, which is commonly referred to as a ‘wing-waggle’, and is often used as a method of acknowledging people watching from the ground.
Following this initial manoeuvre, the aircraft performed a further five left-hand circuits, to runway 28. During three of the circuits the aircraft conducted a touch and go on runway 28; one of these three circuits also included the completion of three aileron rolls during the downwind leg. The other circuits were both completed without attempting a touch and go.
These circuits included aerobatic and inverted manoeuvres overhead the aerodrome. Eyewitness told the Investigation that in their opinion the entire flight, including these manoeuvres, was conducted at a height of approximately 800 ft AAL.
The aircraft commenced a seventh circuit by turning left onto an easterly downwind leg, and subsequently turned westwards again to align with runway 28 while maintaining circuit height.
It completed a series of three aileron rolls to the left overhead the airfield in a westerly direction. The second and third aileron rolls were commenced approximately 1-2 seconds after the completion of the previous manoeuvre. As the third aileron roll was completed, the aircraft immediately started a steep left turn onto a downwind leg for an eighth circuit.
As the aircraft passed abeam the aerodrome in an easterly direction it conducted more rolling manoeuvres. A witness reported seeing the aircraft descending rapidly towards the ground during these manoeuvres and that it impacted terrain in a steep nose-down attitude. The pilot was fatally injured. There was no fire. The aircraft was destroyed. The elapsed time from take-off until the end of the flight was estimated to be approximately 13 mins 48 secs.
Probable Cause
Impact with terrain following entry into the incipient phase of a spin while attempting to recover from a low-level aerobatic manoeuvre.
Contributory Cause(s):
1. Aerobatic manoeuvres conducted at an altitude that provided an insufficient safety margin.
2. Inexperience on the Laser Z200 aircraft type.
3. Inexperience conducting aerobatic manoeuvres in a competition aerobatic aircraft with the performance capabilities of the Laser Z200.
4. Inappropriate control inputs when conducting aileron rolls resulting in a significant loss of altitude.
5. An absence of uniform regulatory requirements to complete formal training in the conduct of aerobatic flying in Annex II aircraft such as the Laser Z200.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
http://www.aaiu.ie/sites/default/files/report-attachments/REPORT%202017-012_0.pdf
https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/tragic-pilot-was-a-skilled-flier-and-aircraft-enthusiast-34558590.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Mar-2016 20:27 | harro | Added |
| 20-Mar-2016 21:51 | Geno | Updated [Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source] |
| 21-Mar-2016 13:05 | anon | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Mar-2016 16:45 | Geno | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Mar-2016 18:53 | anon | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Mar-2016 18:55 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Mar-2016 20:01 | harro | Updated [Registration, Cn] |
| 23-Mar-2016 11:59 | Anon. | Updated [Cn] |
| 24-May-2016 19:16 | cloudhopper | Updated [Narrative] |
| 13-Nov-2017 19:12 | harro | Updated [Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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