Martin Cullen (TD) in AC Helicopter Emergency Landing

DOCARCH

Reports coming in that an AC AW139 helicopter lost one of its doors after take off from Killarney carrying Minister for Tourism, Martin Cullen! Helicopter made emergency landing at a hotel helipad.

Danbo!

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0302/cullenm.html

A helicopter carrying Minister for Tourism Martin Cullen was forced to make an emergency landing in Killarney this afternoon.

Mr Cullen had just finished addressing the annual conference of the Irish Hotels Federation and the Air Corps AW 139 had taken off from the grounds of the Malton Hotel in Killarney.

The left-hand side door of the helicopter fell off at a height of 500ft as it flew over Killarney National Park at Castlerosse outside the town.

The helicopter made an emergency landing nearby at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.

No one was injured in the incident.

Eye witnesses say Mr Cullen, who was flying with an assistant and a crew of three, was shaken following the incident.

He has since continued his journey by road to Kerry Airport from where he is expected to get a flight back to Dublin.

The Defence Forces said in a statement that the aircraft is on the ground until a Military Airworthiness Inspection Team and technicians from Air Corps HQ, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel examine it.

This team will fly to Kerry to assess the helicopter and it will be moved after the inspection.

The passengers had boarded the helicopter through the right hand side door before take off.

The same helicopter brought Minister Cullen from Waterford to Killarney this morning and was returning to Dublin when the incident occurred.

According to the Defence Forces, the AW 139 can fly with doors open under certain speeds, but this is normally in military and winching roles.

diverdriver

Shades of the Merlin incident at Salthill, without the crowd for the door to fall on.

I'd say it was quite scary for those onboard. The noise when you open a sliding door in flight is startling even when you expect it. But if it happens suddenly:eek:

DOCARCH

Landing being descibed by AC statement as 'precautionaty' - I'd still say more 'emregency' when your main door falls off and you don't want or expect it to!

Fratton Fred

Karma.

Ministers shouldn't be using the Air Corp as Taxi drivers.

Cessna_Pilot

DOCARCH wrote: »

Landing being descibed by AC statement as 'precautionaty' - I'd still say more 'emregency' when your main door falls off and you don't want or expect it to!

Precautionary is perfectly acceptable, emergency would imply some form of iminent danger to the aircraft and it's occupants. The aircraft can still fly perfectly well without a door.

DOCARCH

Cessna_Pilot wrote: »

Precautionary is perfectly acceptable, emergency would imply some form of iminent danger to the aircraft and it's occupants. The aircraft can still fly perfectly well without a door.

I know what you mean/you know what I mean! Tounge in cheek.

I'm pretty sure/positive Martin Cullen felt there was some danger to his occupancy!!!

vulcan57

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Karma.

Ministers shouldn't be using the Air Corp as Taxi drivers.

Dead right! A one way flight on Ryanair from Kerry to Dublin for about €30 compared to what ever it must cost to use the AW139. Total waste of tax payers money, money that could go towards a better air corps.

Reg'stoy

Seemingly the CVR recorded something along the lines of
"Do you want to rethink that Levy now minister"

diverdriver

Well the aircraft can fly perfectly well with the door open. But a precautionary landing is sensible when the door suddenly departs. Who knows what it may have hit on the way.

This isn't a case like the Merlin in Galway. This door is designed to be open in flight. There must have been a failure of some sort for it to go. Even if the aircrewman hadn't secured it properly. It wouldn't just fall off.

Maybe this is the price of buying non military helicopters and using them in a military role. You buy cheap, you buy twice.

Tipsy Mac

Great to see my taxes being spent efficiently by someone swanning around like a popstar while the country goes under :mad:

Steyr

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Karma.

Ministers shouldn't be using the Air Corp as Taxi drivers.

Hopefully now they wont use them.

pclancy

:mad::mad::mad:

What are the hourly running costs for an aw139 and three crew? vs the cost of a train/plane/car journey? Bloddy ridiculous. Really annoys me. Build some bloddy houses or schools or get people off trolleys in A/E, stop squandering on fatcats.

:mad::mad::mad:


Karma +1

Fishtits

Martin Cullen, yeah, the Country's survival depends in this guy being able to get around the place on a 2000 an hour helo... :mad:

Get a grip... :mad:

WTF was he doing in an AC Helo in the first place?

Cnut!

Lead by example how are you... :mad:

spadder

:mad::mad::mad:Noel Dempsey uses Trim GAA pitch as his own personal Heli-pad, regularly flying in.

Steyr

A second AW139 was diverted from Training in Cork to pick up that bloody idiot at Kerry.


:mad::mad::eek::mad::mad:

TWAT.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0302/cullenm.html