The final moments of a plane crash in County Galway that killed two men are relived in a report released this week.

The final report of the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) into the fatal crash at Crumlin East, Cornamona, Connemara on October 12, 2009 has found that the pilot may have become disorientated due to deteriorating weather conditions.

The ill-fated plane was destroyed on impact when crashing into mountain ridges in Crumlin East, known locally as Maum Dearg, killing pilots Captain Derek Furniss (32) and Cadet David Jevens (22).

The duo were on a military training exercise and Cadet Jevens was one of a class of cadets coming to the end of their Pilot Wings course.

The preliminary report published last year noted that the Pilatus PC-9 aircraft was conducting a Visual Flight Rules navigational cross-country training exercise from Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel via Carrigallen in Cavan and Maum to Galway Airport.

The aircraft departed Baldonnel at 4.20pm on October 12 and was followed by two other aircraft on the same training exercise at 15 minutes intervals. It was last recorded by Shannon radar over Lower Lough Mask at 4.55pm at an altitude of 1,300ft on course to Maum.
This week’s final report the aircraft flew initially northwest and later southwest towards Maum, County Galway.

The report added: “As it approached high ground on the western shores of Lough Mask, the weather ahead was deteriorating. The aircraft, keeping in visual contact with the ground, crossed a ridge into a narrow and steep-sided valley. It then commenced a rapid series of steep turns and turned onto a northerly heading while pitching up and climbing into cloud. The aircraft then entered a progressively increasing pitch down attitude while rolling to the right. It impacted the northern slopes of the valley in a steep nose down, wings level attitude at high speed. Both crew members were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.”

The investigators concluded that the probable cause of the accident was, “Controlled Flight Into Terrain attributable to Spatial Disorientation due to a Somatogravic Illusion following the loss of Situational Awareness.” The report said the contributing factors were: Continued flight towards high terrain in deteriorating weather; very changeable weather conditions; and high speed in a high terrain area while visibility was reduced.

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.