Air corp PC-9 missing [Mod warning, post 17]

Klunk001

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1012/cornamona.html

ANXIOUS

Just seen it, lets hope everyone is okay. They are one of the newests theings the aer corp operate so its very strange. I hope the pilot got a chance to eject.

highlydebased

Beat me to it ;p

Steyr

Apparently its not good news....:(

ANXIOUS

Steyr wrote: »

Apparently its not good news....:(

Ah that is terrrible, lets just hope your wrong.

Steyr

Steyr wrote: »

Apparently its not good news....:(

I mean i hope its not bad news, terrible news. Fingers crossed.

Ronan|Raven

I saw one of these this evening between 5:30 and 6 in the Ballinlough area of County Roscommon three times in the above mentioned period. It seemed to be doing sweeps of the area with 10 minute intervals between each pass.

murfie

RIP if correct. Very sad to hear this.

Steyr

RIP if it turns out to be true.:(

Steyr

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1012/cornamona.html

Air Corps aircraft crashes in Co Galway
Monday, 12 October 2009 20:37
The Irish Aviation Authority has said an Air Corps Pilatus PC9 aircraft has crashed at Crumlin East near Cornamona in Connemara, Co Galway.

The aircraft carrying a flight instructor and cadet were part of a flying training exercise of three aircraft that left Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel at 5.45pm.

The accident is believed to have happened shortly after 6pm this evening.

The two other aircraft have safely returned to Galway airport.

A number of local people reported seeing the aircraft in difficulty and preparing to make an emergency landing.

An Air Accident Investigation team from the Air Corps and Department of Transport have been dispatched to the area.

_________________________________________________________________
It was a three ship flight.:(

i_love_toast

Speculation removed by Mod

boomer_ie

i_love_toast wrote: »

i dont understand how it could crash....unless it was unable to land do to being surrounded by poor landing areas such as bogs, also if they dont land on road or tarmac they are supposed to immediately flip over and crash.also there is supposed to be one ejector seat in the cock pit...unless the captain didnt want to leave the cadet in the aircraft by himself. i suppose the news now will have more information on it.....god bless the families involved....it couldve happen to any air corp pilot...

I_love_toast can you please stop with the speculation until we get confirmation as to the fate of the two crew.

tracker-man

I don't mean to be rude but please lets keep the speculation as to what happened, to ourselves. I think its disrespectful towards the pilots involved when we talk about what happened, what could of happened and what might have happened when we don't yet have the facts. I'm sure it will be on the news in a couple of minutes and a full report will be issued in due course.

highlydebased

Took this from a private group

"The three on the navex were:
261 took off 1431 last heard 1741 at 1075 ft
265 took off 1507 last heard 1727 at 1075 ft These two presumably undertook local flying during the afternoon.

266 took off 1747 last heard 1752 at 1100 ft

Agusta 275 departed 1926 and was last heard at 1932 at 1575ft
"

Storm 10

Just for your info the PC9 is equipped with two ejection seats .

i_love_toast

tracker-man wrote: »

I don't mean to be rude but please lets keep the speculation as to what happened, to ourselves. I think its disrespectful towards the pilots involved when we talk about what happened, what could of happened and what might have happened when we don't yet have the facts. I'm sure it will be on the news in a couple of minutes and a full report will be issued in due course.

i am really sorry it is very rude of me and disrespectful of those involved. i just hope for the best:(

Owen

Boards has pretty much lit up on this subject, so I'm going to give one warning as this thread is about to get popular.

Respect the privacy of those involved, whatever the outcome. Respect their families, and realise that they will probably search on google some day and come across the opinions here. Do not speculate death, or the cause of death, or discuss anything until it is confirmed. Anyone not doing so will be banned by me, infracted, and warned.

This is only for the people who will come here to mis-behave. I understand, and genuinely appreciate that nearly all of this forums regulars are about as great as boards posters can possibly be, so don't think I'm giving out to you.

beanaldo

im in the air corps myself and this is terrible , really awful. was talking to a colleague of mine who is going down at 6am in the morning to recover the aircraft etc. basically he said what it said on the news that its not looking good. all we can do is hope...

beanaldo

beanaldo wrote: »

im in the air corps myself and this is terrible , really awful. was talking to a colleague of mine who is going down at 6am in the morning to recover the aircraft etc. basically he said what it said on the news that its not looking good. all we can do is hope...

sorry to double post but i got a phone call there and i wont post what i was told now because its not official but i can tell u that the news is very bad. this is a sad sad night

Absurdum

RIP

highlydebased

Have heard aircraft is 265.

Mr Benevolent

RIP guys, sad day for such a small air force.

gerire

Any chance we can wait for official news as a mark of respect either way;

Best wishes to a good outcome

Hooch

gerire wrote: »

Any chance we can wait for official news as a mark of respect either way;

Best wishes to a good outcome

+1 to both points, well said.

pclancy

Just found out about this now, sad news and horrible for a small airforce there everyone knows everyone.

ronbyrne2005

Just heard a very loud aircraft flying lowly over my house in north dublin in a westerly direction. They dont usually fly over this way so thinking might be related to galway incident.

Danbo!

Prayers are with the families and everyone involved in the rescue effort tonight/tomorrow, unfortunately from beanaldos post this doesnt look good.

Absurdum

Two pilots confirmed dead, may they RIP

beanaldo

what a horrible horrible tragedy.. R.I.P lads. baldonnel is gona be a sad sad place tomorrow. cant believe this

Diageio_Man

R.I.P saw them taking off earlyer when i was out at lufthansa airmotive my heart goes out to there family and colleagues at this time.

boomer_ie

Confirmation of their deaths has been released by the DFPO, may they rest in peace.

Defence Forces Press Office
12 October 2009. 11.10 pm.

Statement
The crew and wreckage of the Air Corps Pilatus PC 9 reported missing this evening have been located and the two crew members, the flight instructor and cadet pilot, are unfortunately confirmed dead. Their remains are at the scene of the crash, which has been sealed off by local Gardaí and Fire Crews.

The crash site will be examined at first light tomorrow morning by Air Accident Investigators from the Air Corps and Department of Transport. The remains of the two crew can only be removed after the scene has been cleared of the explosives from the PC 9 ejector seats which would be at the crash site also.

Names of the crew of the aircraft will not be released until it is confirmed that their families have been informed by Air Corps personnel. The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Dermot Earley and the General Officer Commanding the Air Corps, Brigadier General Ralph James have expressed their deepest sympathies on behalf of the Defence Forces at this difficult time for the families of these deceased airmen.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Note: The location of the crash site is in the area of Crumlin-East/Crumlin West, north of Lough Corrib, on the Galway-Mayo border.
ENDS.

ronnie3585

Rest in peace lads.

Terrible day.

gerire

I was really hopeful this would work out another way. Deepest sympathys to the families

Steyr

May They rest In Peace.:(

FOGOFUNK

Rest in peace.

tricky D

Rest in peace

GHOST MGG2

rest in peace
a sad day :-(

yaeger

Anyone in the know willing to confirm a name for me, I fear i might know one of the guys ?? PM please..

cyrusdvirus

yaeger wrote: »

Anyone in the know willing to confirm a name for me, I fear i might know one of the guys ?? PM please..

If you know one of them, you'll be told.

RIP lads.

peter1892

Awful news, R.I.P.

Thoughts with the families, colleagues & all involved.

FiSe

Sad and shocking news, only heard this morning... May they fly high

Nforce

I hope there's a place, way up in the sky,
Where pilots can go, when they have to die-
A place where a guy can go and buy a cold beer
For a friend and comrade, whose memory is dear;
A place where no doctor or lawyer can tread,
Nor management type would ere be caught dead;
Just a quaint little place, kinda dark and full of smoke,
Where they like to sing loud, and love a good joke;
The kind of place where a lady could go
And feel safe and protected, by the men she would know.

There must be a place where old pilots go,
When their paining is finished, and their airspeed gets low,
Where the whiskey is old, and the women are young,
And the songs about flying and dying are sung,
Where you'd see all the fellows who'd flown west before.
And they'd call out your name, as you came through the door;
Who would buy you a drink if your thirst should be bad,
And relate to the others, "He was quite a good lad!"

And then through the mist, you'd spot an old guy
You had not seen for years, though he taught you how to fly.
He'd nod his old head, and grin ear to ear,
And say, "Welcome, my son, I'm pleased that you're here.
"For this is the place where true flyers come,
"When the journey is over, and the war has been won
"They've come here to at last to be safe and alone
From the government clerk and the management clone,
"Politicians and lawyers, the Feds and the noise
Where the hours are happy, and these good ol'boys
"Can relax with a cool one, and a well-deserved rest;
"This is Heaven, my son -- you've passed your last test!"

Capt. Michael J. Larkin



RIP

boomer_ie

The names have officially been released they are Captain Derek Furniss (32) and Cadet David Jevens (22)

RIP.

Third_Echelon

Terrible, terrible news...

I work in Citywest, so I watch them doing their practise manoeuvres every day pretty much. For such a small air force, I'm sure this will affect everyone pretty hard.

RIP lads.

Pherekydes

They've been named on the RTE site now.

I knew the instructor; he was really sound. I'm shocked to learn of the deaths of him and the trainee pilot. A very sad day for the Air Corps.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Jimmac

I wonder why the ejection seats were not used.
They are the latest Martin-Baker CG-A Ejection Seat which operates from sea level to max ceiling height at any speed above 65 knots.Its easy to replace a plane but not the pilots.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

boomer_ie

Jimmac wrote: »

I wonder why the ejection seats were not used.
They are the latest Martin-Baker CG-A Ejection Seat which operates from sea level to max ceiling height at any speed above 65 knots.Its easy to replace a plane but not the pilots.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Its afar too early to speculate, please wait until the official report comes.

Steyr

Two pilots die in Air Corps crash
Tuesday, 13 October 2009 11:53
Air accident investigators have gone to the scene of last night's air crash in Connemara in which two Air Corps pilots lost their lives.

Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens were taking part in a training flight, in what were described as poor weather conditions, at the time of the crash.

The bodies are not expected to be removed from the crash scene until later today.

The Air Corps took this decision because the aircraft has ejector seats - which contain explosive charges - and these will have to be removed by army ordinance experts.

Rescue teams who reached the scene last night said the plane had crashed in exceptionally rough and rocky terrain, 2km from the nearest road.

They said debris had been scattered over an adjoining area.

So far there is no indication of what caused the crash.

Weather conditions in the area deteriorated overnight and there is low cloud and heavy mist in the mountain valley where the Pilatus PC-9 aircraft crashed.

Captain Derek Furniss ( 32 ) joined the Defence Forces in October 1994 and is a qualified pilot since 1996 and a qualified flight instructor since 1999.

He has over 3,000 flight hours and was the Chief Flight Instructor on the Pilatus aircraft and member of the Air Corps PC-9 Display Team. Cpt Furniss, originally from Ballinteer in Dublin, was not married but was living with his partner in Dublin.

Cadet David Jevens ( 22 ) joined the Defence Forces as an Air Corps Cadet in 2006 and was at the advanced stages of flight training on the PC-9 with over 160 flight hours and 50 simulator training hours over the past three years flight training. He was due for commissioning as a pilot later this year. Cadet Jevens was single and was from Glynn, Co Wexford.


President Mary McAleese said she had learned with 'shock and sadness' of the tragic deaths of two members of the Air Corps, while Taoiseach Brian Cowen extended his sympathy to their families and to the Air Corps saying he too was shocked and saddened to learn of the accident.

highlydebased

A sad sad day. RIP.

Beta Ray Bill

RIP

Terrontress

Poor lads. It brings it home to see their photos on the news websites. They stop being a news story or an accident report and start being human in my mind.

I hope their family will find comfort in that they died doing what they loved.