Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish first to extend my sympathies to the families of the deceased. There have been three separate reports into this tragic accident. The air accident investigation unit of the Department of Transport conducted an inquiry and published its report on 24 January 2012. It found that the probable cause of the accident was spatial disorientation of the instructor-pilot in conditions of poor visibility, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain. The subsequent inquest into the deaths of the two crew members recorded an open verdict in respect of the instructor-pilot who was piloting the aircraft at the moment of impact and a verdict of accidental death for the cadet.

The court of inquiry’s findings are in complete agreement with those reached in the earlier investigations, namely, that the accident was caused by spatial disorientation of the instructor, who was piloting the aircraft in conditions of poor visibility. All of the reports agree that the cadet bore no responsibility of any kind for the accident. The Minister, Deputy Shatter, is willing to address any questions about the court of inquiry and has asked the Attorney General for advice in this regard. However, he is satisfied that the court of inquiry has done its work in a thorough way and that its members acted professionally, impartially and with integrity.

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