A 22-year-old Air Corps pilot died today when the four-seater Cessna172 he was piloting crashed shortly after take-off in Co Offaly.
The pilot, Raymond Heery, who was from Oldcastle in Co Meath, died instantly in the crash which happened at 12.40 at Clonbullogue. No one else was on the plane.
He was a Second Lieutenant with four years service. A Defence Forces spokesman said the dead officer had more than 500 hours flying time.
He had been ferrying parachutists to and from Baldonnel.
The crash is being investigated by the Irish Aviation Authority and the Air Corps Flight Safety unit.
