From the
Mayo News.
THE man who died when a light aircraft crashed in a field near Kilmovee on Sunday has been named as 51-year-old Markus Casey of Dr Mannix Rd, Salthill, Co. Galway. His death is the first fatality to occur at the scene of a crash where the flight originated at Ireland West Airport Knock (IWAK), in over two decades of aviation at the Mayo airport.
The owner and pilot of the two-seater Beechcraft Skipper single engine aircraft, Mr Casey was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident shortly after 4.45pm on Sunday. His sole passenger – named as John Dunphy from Deansgrange in Dublin – was taken to Mayo General Hospital with injuries that were described as critical. He is now said to be in a stable condition and remains in MGH.
The single engine aircraft was en route to Weston Airport in Dublin from IWAK when it came down around eight kilometres from the town of Ballaghaderreen around 4.45pm.
It is understood that the aircraft took off from IWAK at 4.35pm and shortly afterwards the pilot radioed air traffic controllers to say that he was experiencing some difficulties. Early indications suggest that there was a loss of power to the plane and that having sent a mayday call the pilot was preparing for an emergency landing when the plane crashed three miles east of IWAK.
The wreckage of the plane was strewn across the field and a team of investigators from the Department of Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Unit immediately set out for the scene. They removed the plane to Gormanstown, Co. Meath, for a more detailed examination yesterday.
It was reported that a helicopter had set out from the airport after the pilot communicated his problem to air traffic control and was in the vicinity of the crash site when the plane went down. However, it was later confirmed that the helicopter only set out from the airport after the accident to help locate the crash site.
Fire crews from Charlestown, Claremorris and Ballaghaderreen attended the scene minutes after the crash was reported on Sunday, and Gardaí from Swinford preserved the site until the wreckage was removed yesterday.
In recent months, Mr Casey along with his colleagues Pat Joyce and Lyn Evans established Shoreline Aviation Ltd, an aircraft maintenance business at IWAK. He was well known in aviation circles in the west of Ireland and the Board, Management and Staff of IWAK extended their deepest sympathy and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues yesterday.
Speaking in the aftermath of the accident, Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director, Ireland West Airport Knock, recalled Markus who he described as a valued friend and colleague of the airport.
“Markus had won the respect of everyone, for his professionalism, his tremendous knowledge and vision of private aviation both in this country and abroad, and his warm personable approach towards everyone he met,” he said.
“His friendly wave and calm good humour at all times were part of what made him special and he is sadly missed both as a friend and as a business colleague. Our prayers and thoughts are with the passenger who was on board yesterday’s flight, and we hope that he makes a full and speedy recovery.”