Date:	Monday 29 May 2017
Time:	16:40 LT
Type:	Comco Ikarus C42 FB100
Owner/operator:	C-More Flying Club
Registration:	G-FLYM
MSN:	0707-6903
Year of manufacture:	2007
Engine model:	Rotax 912ULS
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Dolly's Brae, Castlewellan Forest Park, County Down -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Kernan microlight site, Tandragee, Co Armagh.
Destination airport:	Kernan microlight site, Tandragee, Co Armagh.
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Ikarus C42, G-FLYM: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when landed in trees due to deteriorating weather, near Castlewellan, Co Down, 29 May 2017. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB Report:

"The pilot had obtained his National Private Pilot’s Licence in the month before the accident. All his training had been on the Ikarus C42 microlight aircraft from Kernan microlight site near Tandragee, Co Armagh. He was planning a flight with one passenger around the Mourne Mountains about 19 nm to the south-east. The cloud base was about 1,100 to 1,200 ft aal and the visibility 7 to 10 km with light wind. The 275 m paved runway was at an elevation of 65 ft amsl. Before he departed an instructor advised him to stay in “the local area”.

The pilot took off from Runway 18 and then headed south towards Newry and Warren Point. He reported that approaching Warren Point, which is almost at sea-level, the cloud base was just above 1,000 ft and it continued to be so as he flew round the south of the Mourne Mountains. During his return flight via Newcastle he encountered rising ground, lowering cloud and reduced visibility in the area of Castlewellan. He decided that his best course of action was to land in a field.

He knew that the C42 could be landed in a short distance and was prepared to trailer the aircraft back if the field was too small for takeoff. However, he could not see a field and instead he carried out an emergency landing into trees on the top of a hill. The aircraft sustained significant damage but he and his passenger were uninjured. The accident site was located about 1.5 nm north-west of Castlewellan where the terrain
rises to 750 ft amsl

=Pilot’s comments=
The pilot stated that he was caught out by the rising terrain and lowering cloud, and that this was due to his inexperience. When the instructor advised him to stay in the local area, he interpreted this area to include up to Newry which was 13 nm south of Kernan. He did not think he was doing anything risky by going beyond this distance because when he reached Newry the cloud base was still above 1,000 ft.

Another instructor at Kernan was asked how they would interpret the term ‘local area’ and they said about 4 to 5 nautical miles from the airfield.

=AAIB Analysis=
The instructor who advised the pilot before the flight probably wanted him to stay within a few miles of the airfield due to the low cloud base. However, the pilot considered that it was safe to fly further than this as long as the cloud base remained above 1,000 ft. He had probably not realised that he was heading towards terrain that was as high as 750 ft on his return leg from Newry. It is noted that, even when travelling at a typical C42 cruise speed of 85 kt, the ‘situation ahead’ can change rapidly and low cloud can hide the tops of hills.

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report the aircraft was "Damaged beyond economic repair". The CAA eventually agreed with this conclusion, and the registration G-FLYM was cancelled (and the airframe de-registered) on 9 November 2020 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"

1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a3cc41eed915d6be6a8b85e/Ikarus_C42_G-FLYM_01-18.pdf
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40086599
3. https://www.thesun.ie/news/1063604/light-aircraft-crash-in-castleweallan-forest-park-in-co-down/
4. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/castlewellan-forest-park-aircraft-crash-two-people-escape-serious-injury-after-plane-comes-down-in-co-down-35767539.html
5. http://www.c-moreflyingschool.com/gallery/photos/g-flym-aerosport-ikarus-c42.html
6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40090631
7. https://www.facebook.com/MourneMRT/photos/a.181981801816183.49515.181976931816670/1692683764079305/?type=3&theater
8. http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2017-05-29/two-hurt-in-castlewellan-light-aircraft-crash/
9. https://www.nifrs.org/incidents/page/2/
10. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-flym
11. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-FLYM/957669
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlewellan_Forest_Park

This Comco Ikarus C42 FB100 was built in 2007, and was first UK registered (from new) as G-FLYM on 30 July 2007. The aircraft was sold on to its 2nd owner on 26 March 2008, the 3rd on 31 March 2009, and its fourth (and ultimately final) owner on 7 September 2011. As at 17 August 2016, G-FLYM had accumulated a total of 1,702 flying hours on the airframe.

After the accident at Dolly\'s Brae, Castlewellan, on 29 May 2017, G-FLYM was (Per the AAIB Report) "Damaged beyond economic repair". The CAA eventually agreed with this conclusion, and the registration G-FLYM was cancelled (and the airframe de-registered) on 9 November 2020 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-May-2017 18:17	gerard57	Added
29-May-2017 19:47	harro	Updated [Source]
29-May-2017 20:54	Geno	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Damage, Narrative]
29-May-2017 21:37	Aerossurance	Updated [Time, Narrative]
30-May-2017 06:17	JINX	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative]
21-Jun-2017 16:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
12-Jan-2018 07:12	harro	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Embed code, Narrative]
13-Jan-2018 20:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
19-Sep-2018 17:53	harro	Updated [Embed code, Accident report, ]
24-May-2024 15:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category]