Irish Air Corps — Flight Rescue 111

Investigation Summary

The mission began late on July 1, 1999, to locate the pleasure boat Realt Or, which was lost in heavy fog off Dungarvan. This was the very first day of a new 24-hour search and rescue service from Waterford Airport. The crew had arrived from Casement Aerodrome that morning and had already completed a publicity flight for RTÉ and a training flight at sea before being tasked for the night mission. By the time of the accident, they had been on duty for over 16 hours. Rescue 111 launched with a standard fuel load of 600 kg rather than its maximum 800 kg, a common practice to ensure sufficient hover performance for winching. After providing navigational aid to the Helvick Lifeboat, the crew attempted to return to Waterford Airport as visibility plummeted. The airport was staffed only by a ground crew member, not a qualified air traffic controller, who reported visibility as low as 300 meters. After two missed ILS approaches to Runway 21, the crew opted for a coastal approach, a maneuver they had practiced earlier that day. This involved flying over the sea and dunes south of the airport. Investigators found that the helicopter's radio altimeter 'bugs' were set to 150 and 160 feet, and the 160-foot warning light was illuminated at the moment of impact. The aircraft struck the dunes while traveling at 60 to 80 knots, a typical approach speed for landing where the aircraft becomes less stable below 70 knots, on a southeast heading. This suggests they were in the middle of a right-hand turn to go around after failing to see the beach. The lack of fuel reserves meant that by the time the second approach failed, a diversion to a clear airport like Shannon was no longer possible.

Final Conclusions

Video Analysis

Systems & Failure Modes

Interesting Facts

• 01The helicopter was not equipped with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) as per Air Corps procedures at the time.
• 02The crew had been on duty for more than 16 hours prior to the accident.
• 03The impact occurred at an elevation of 45 feet above sea level while the radio altimeter warning was set to 160 feet.
• 04The aircraft was carrying 600 kg of fuel at takeoff, which left insufficient reserves to divert to Shannon Airport after the missed approaches.
• 05The right-hand rear sliding door was found in an unlocked position, suggesting the crew was using it to look for visual cues or was in the process of closing it.

Safety Actions & Advisories

Location

APPROXIMATE POSITION · AIRPORT LEVEL · Coordinates are the estimate published in the wikidata coordinate. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.