A FUEL problem led to the death of flying enthusiast John Keane (57) when his biplane crashed at an air display in Ardfert, Co Kerry, last year.
There is some criticism of the rescue services in the report which says the air-accident team's investigation was "impeded" as a result of the partial destruction of the cockpit area when Mr Keane's body was removed from the wreckage before they arrived.
Mr Keane, of Clonlara, Co Clare, died when his Steen Skybolt plane crashed into a field and then bounced into a hedge-covered stone wall. He had been giving an aerobatics display for the Ardfert festival on July 29th when the accident happened.
"The immediate cause of the accident was the sudden stoppage of the engine due to fuel starvation during the climbing roll to the right," according to a report from air-accident investigator Frank Russell yesterday.
He believes a flexible "flop tube" intake hose in the fuel tank had been uncovered and sucked in air into the fuel system when the plane entered a near-vertical climb.
The report says that during the climbing roll to the right "the engine was heard by witnesses to bang and splutter as it stopped".
Mr Keane had flown from Coonagh Flying Club in Limerick, and he had performed his 18-minute acrobatics display. He then landed at the airfield and indicated he would perform a few aerobatic manoeuvres before departing for Coonagh. Three minutes after takeoff the engine cut out and the plane crashed.
The report says the air-accident team's investigation was "impeded" as a result of the partial destruction of the cockpit area when the body was removed.
"The investigation fully understands that the fire services' priority is the suppression of fire and the expeditious removal of casualties from any accident site.
"However, in this instance the investigation considers that there was no pressing reason that required the removal of the pilot from the cockpit before the investigation arrived on scene."