Cork air crash report released

No mechanical faults have yet been identified in an aircraft that crashed at Cork airport, killing six people and injuring six more, according to the first official report into the tragedy.

Irish air accident investigators say there are still trying to establish why the Manx2.com flight from Belfast crashed at Cork Airport when it attempted to land in thick fog on February 10th.

In a preliminary Air Accident Investigation Unit report, investigator Leo Murray said he has not yet identified any failures in the airframe, systems or powerplants during the flight or at the airfield. “The factors which resulted in the loss of control are being examined,” he said.

The experience of Spanish pilot Jordi Gola Lopez (31) and his English co-pilot, Andrew Cantle (27), from Sunderland, are forming part of the investigation.

Six people, including the pilots, were killed when the 19-seater Fairchild Metroliner III flying from Belfast City Airport to Cork crashed while attempting to land on the main runway at Cork. The pilot made three attempts to land the aircraft at Cork in fog between 9.10am and 9.40am on February 10th.

Among the passengers killed were businessman Richard Noble (48) from Belfast; accountant Patrick Cullinan (45), originally from Co Tyrone but living in Belfast; businessman Brendan McAleese (39) from Co Antrim; and harbour master Michael Evans (51) from Belfast.

Already investigators have confirmed publicly that the aircraft’s first point of impact was on the runway, and that the debris trail extended from the point of impact for 180-190m to the point where it came to a stop off the runway.

Investigators retrieved both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage before the fuselage and wings were removed from Cork airport for examination by engineers to a hangar at Gormanstown, Co Meath.

Investigators analysed data from both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.

They also examined radar tapes from Cork Airport, and interviewed both air traffic controllers as well as the six survivors.

The Belfast-Cork commuter service was provided by virtual airline Manx2.com based in the Isle of Man.

It was operated by Barcelona-based airline Flightline BCN, which had leased the Metroliner III from another Spanish airline, Air Lada based in Seville.

The inquiry team, under Jurgen White and including Mr Murray, Paddy Judge, Graham Liddy, Tom Moloney and Paddy Farrell, was assisted by experts from the UK Air Accident Investigations Branch at Farnborough, who helped analyse the cockpit recorder.

The Irish team was also assisted by experts from a Spanish air accident investigation unit because the aircraft was owned by Spanish companies, and by US experts from the National Transport Safety Board because it was manufactured there.