The lack of air traffic control provision at Waterford airport was one of a series of factors identified in the official investigation into the Dauphin helicopter crash at Tramore, Co Waterford, on July 2nd, 1999, which claimed the lives of Capt Dave O'Flaherty, Capt Michael Baker, Sgt Paddy Mooney and Cpl Niall Byrne.
The report highlighted serious deficiencies in ground support from a number of quarters, including Air Corps senior management, the Department of Defence and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, and identified the limited capability of the Dauphin short-range helicopter for the Atlantic seaboard.
The report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit, published last September, identified the main cause of the crash as collision with a sand dune after an unsuccessful approach on Tramore beach at night in extremely poor visibility, and said that the weather was so bad that a successful landing would have been "virtually impossible". It listed two active causes, six contributory causes and nine systemic causes, and made 25 recommendations.