Preliminary report in to the crash of G-BGTJ

The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) today issued a preliminary report into the crash which claimed the lives of the pilot and three passengers when Piper PA28 Cherokee Archer G-BGTJ crashed in the Wicklow mountains on October 25 last. The report is a narrative of the sequence of events on the day of the crash including the last known position of the aircraft. 

On the day of the crash the aircraft departed Gloucester Airport at 08.57 for Kilrush Airfield in Co. Kildare. At 11.10 the pilot advise Dublin ATC that he was 'coasting in' at Newcastle. At 11.17 the pilot advised that he was 24 miles from Kilrush and requested that he close his flight plan and continue his own navigation. The last known radar contact was at 11.26 in the vicinity of Glenmacnass Waterfall, NE of Tonelegee Mountain.

The report points out that since the pilot closed his flight plan in flight there was no longer a need for ATC to ensure that the aircraft had arrived at the destination of Kilrush Airfield, nor was there a requirement for the pilot to notify ATC of his safe arrival. Although a flight plan had been filed earlier that day neither the date nor ETA were notified to Kilrush which was not expecting the aircraft. As a consequence there was a significant time delay between the time of the aircraft's last known position and the alarm being raised.

The investigation continues with particular emphasis on the weather conditions en route and at the time of the crash.