Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Defence if the cause of the tragic air accident in Cornamona, County Galway in which the two Air Corps pilots lost their lives has been established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42177/09]

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has received any interim or preliminary reports into the tragic and fatal crash of an Air Corps airplane in County Galway on 12 October 2009; if the other Pilatus aircraft are being used for training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42168/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 33 together.

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere sympathy to the families and colleagues of Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens who lost their lives in this tragic accident involving an Air Corps PC-9 in Cornamona, Co. Galway on the 12 October, 2009. The Preliminary Report into this fatal air accident was published by the Air Accident Investigation Unit, (AAIU) of the Department of Transport on the 17th November, 2009. This report is available to the public on the AAIU website.

The cause of the accident is not determined in this report. Only the facts as known by the Investigation at this early stage are set out. The Final Report, which will be completed within one year of the accident, will provide full analysis of the accident and address cause. Following the accident, the Air Corps grounded the remaining PC9s as a precaution. The remaining seven PC9 aircraft were cleared to return to flying status on 16th October, 2009 and they resumed their role as training aircraft on the 19th October, 2009.