Home-made aircraft veered off runway

A home-made aircraft built from a kit was involved in a runway touchdown accident, according to a report from the Air Accident Investigations Unit (AAIU).

The incident happened at Coonagh Aerodrome, Co Limerick, in April of last year during a test flight of a Europa Classic aircraft, which was built from a kit by an amateur pilot and aircraft enthusiast.

It was reported by the pilot, who was testing the aircraft for the owner, to the AAIU of the Department of Transport, which has now published its report.

The aircraft landed normally on the runway, but began to veer to the left. The pilot, who holds a commercial pilot's licence, attempted to correct the problem, but was unable to prevent the aircraft becoming unstable. He applied the brake, causing it to veer sharply to the right before coming to a halt about 3m off the runway. The nose and the port wingtip were damaged, but nobody was injured.

In his submission to the AAIU, the pilot said he should have abandoned the landing and applied full power "at the first sign of oscillation".

He added that the aircraft was not ideally suited to Tarmac surfaces "because the tailwheel had little or no stabilising influence initially".

The report found there was a "considerable cross-wind from the right", and the pilot "lost directional control on landing the aircraft".

The report recommended that the aircraft be rebuilt with a tricycle undercarriage.

Mr Jurgen Whyte, an inspector with the AAIU, said home-built aircraft were not particularly common in Ireland, but the kits were available mainly through US and French companies.

"They come like Lego kits and the guy builds it himself, like building your own boat."

The kits can cost from €15,000 to €30,000. The construction is supervised by a home-build society such as the Society of Amateur Aircraft Constructors, which ensures that a running building manifest is kept. The aircraft is inspected on completion by a licensed engineer, who decides if it is safe for flight.