Light aircraft crashes with two on board in Kilkenny
Sarah Slater
A light aircraft has crashed in south Kilkenny with two people on board.
The incident occurred near Carrigeen, Mooncoin, close to Waterford city.
Emergency services are currently at the scene, which is preserved pending an investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU).
In a statement, Atlantic Flight Training Academy said that there were no injuries to either the instructor or the student on board and neither required hospital treatment, contrary to earlier reports.
The Cessna 172 aircraft was en route back on a routine training flight towards Waterford when the pilot experienced a rough-running engine.
The statement added: “The pilot informed Air Traffic Control in Waterford and advised that he had identified a suitable landing site in close proximity.
“The pilot positioned the aircraft for landing and carried out a precautionary landing in a suitable grass field, in accordance with standard operation procedures, north of Waterford Airport.
It is the second crash of a light aircraft in the area in just over two weeks. Last month, a father of two was killed when his light aircraft crashed during an emergency landing in Waterford.
Bircan Dokuzlar (48), who was originally from Turkey, died when he attempted to land the aircraft in a field close to Waterford Airport last Thursday at around 12:50pm.
The aircraft had taken off from Sligo and was heading for Beziers in France.
Emergency service units, including Coast Guard Rescue 117, attended the scene.
Air accident investigators are continuing to examine what may have caused the crash. It is understood that Mr Dokuzlar turned the plane around off the south coast of Ireland and headed back towards Waterford Airport as he attempted an emergency landing.
It is understood the aircraft had been stored for several months in Sligo. The privately-owned Vulcanair P68C did not have a cockpit voice recorder due to its size.
There is an ongoing investigation into the crash, and aircraft investigators believe that weather conditions were not a factor.
