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| Date: | Saturday 19 January 2019 |
| Time: | 14:28 LT |
| Type: | Cyclone AX3 Microlight |
| Owner/operator: | Microflight (Ireland) Ltd |
| Registration: | G-MZEL |
| MSN: | 7133 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Causeway Airfield, near Coleraine, Co Londonderry -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Causeway Airfield, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The microlight plane crashed after reportedly stalling soon after taking off from Causeway Airfield. Both occupants were injured. The Ambulance Service confirmed they received a call at 14.35pm and two accident and emergency vehicles attended the scene. According to newspaper reports:
"The emergency services have been praised for their swift response after a light aircraft crashed on a runway at Causeway Airfield south of Coleraine this afternoon. The two pilots onboard the AX3 Microlight aircraft have now been taken to hospital for treatment to injuries that are not believed to life threatening. Fire & Rescue Service Group Commander Keith Black said that they were called to the scene at around 2.45pm on Saturday afternoon. He said four pumps - two from Ballymoney, one from Coleraine and one from Kilrea - were tasked to the airfield at Aghadowey.
“When we got there Ambulance was already in attendance,” Mr Black said. “We assisted them with one casualty already out of the aircraft and we had to use cutting equipment to help remove the pilot from the aircraft.” However he said that the soft nature of the grass meant that, although the ambulances could get to the pilots on the runway, the heavy fire vehicles couldn’t. Instead they were taken there and back via alternative transport. Mark Holmes, Chief Instructor at Causeway Airfield, said that an air ambulance also arrived but was diverted to another call out.
The two men who were injured in a light aircraft crash in Co Londonderry on Saturday afternoon are said to be recovering and “in good spirits”. The two qualified pilots – one aged in his 60s and the other in his 30s – sustained non-life-threatening injuries when their microlight crashed on the runway at Causeway Airfield, near Coleraine. NI Fire and Rescue Service crews, Ambulance Service personnel and the air ambulance were tasked to the incident at around 2:45 pm and both men were taken to nearby Causeway Hospital for treatment.
A spokesman for the Ulster Seaplane Association Ltd, which runs the airfield at Aghadowey, said the two men are recovering and “will be back flying again.” He also said conditions at the time were gusty at the time of the incident. Both guys are club members and both are qualified pilots,” he said. “They have some fractures, but it is fortunate that their injuries aren’t life-threatening. Both of them are in good spirits.”
Praising the emergency services for their swift response, the spokesman said the air ambulance had attended the scene, but was quickly redeployed to a more serious incident – a road crash near Coleraine. He said both the men in the aircraft were qualified pilots, with one sustaining a broken ankle and thumb, and the other a broken arm
“The fact that the air ambulance was in this area already meant it was able to attend the more serious incident more quickly, so undoubtedly lives were saved,” he added.
The club spokesman said it is too early to say what caused the microlight to crash, but stressed that a full investigation will be carried out in conjunction with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).We are aware of the incident and are investigating,” an AAIB spokesperson said.
UPDATE
The incident was the subject of an AAIB investigation, published on 11 July 2019, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report
"AAIB investigation to Cyclone AX3/503, G-MZEL
Heavy landing, Causeway Airfield, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, 19 January 2019.
Synopsis:
During the take off from grass Runway 16, the windsock was indicating a wind speed of less than 5 mph. Once at circuit height, the pilot decided to abort the flight due to low cloud and rain. During the circuit the pilot estimated the wind to be 120° at 15 mph.
The approach back onto Runway 16 was uneventful until about 40 ft agl when the aircraft encountered “severe sink”. The pilot applied full power but was unable to arrest the descent rate before the aircraft touched down heavily on the main gear. The aircraft bounced back into air, with a nose-up attitude, to a height of about 15 ft. It then pitched down and struck the grass runway in a nose-down attitude causing severe damage to the nose of the aircraft and cockpit area. Although both the pilot and passenger were wearing full harnesses, the pilot suffered fractured vertebrae, elbow, wrist, thumb, and the passenger suffered fractures to both legs.
The pilot advised that the seat cushions were made from standard low-density upholstery foam, which met the airworthiness requirements applicable to the aircraft design. The AAIB notes that the use of modern, energy-absorbing foam may have reduced the severity of the injuries the occupants received".
Damage Sustained to Airframe
Per the AAIB Report "Nose destroyed, seat bases damaged". The damage sustained was presumably severe enough to render the airframe as "damaged beyond economic repair", as the registration G-MZEL was cancelled (with the airframe de-registered) on 4 November 2019 as "destroyed"
According to the airfield owner/operators website, Causeway Airfield is "Located on the banks of the River Bann, Causeway Airfield has a 650m long grass runway with a shorter 380m grass strip.
Runways
16/34 650m x 20m Maintained grass
11/29 380m x 20m Maintained grass
Field Elevation: 20ft AMSL. Coordinates: 55°03’28.6″N 6°35’00.4″W"
Sources:
1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f468300e90e072994ebb05f/Cyclone_AX3_503_G-MZEL_07-19.pdf
2. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/two-men-taken-to-hospital-after-light-aircraft-crashes-at-causeway-airfield-37728073.html
3. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/causeway-airfield-microlight-aircraft-crash-15702825
4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-46932298
5. https://news.causewaycoastcommunity.co.uk/local-news/ongoing-incident-aircraft-in-difficulties-at-causeway-airfield/
6. https://theworldnews.net/gb-news/emergency-services-praised-after-light-aircraft-crashes-on-runway
7. https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2019-01-19/two-in-hospital-after-light-aircraft-crashes-in-co-londonderry/
8. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/microlight-crash-pilots-hurt-but-in-good-spirits-1-8776818
9. https://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/emergency-services-praised-after-light-aircraft-crashes-on-runway-1-8776466
10. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/G-MZEL.html
11. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-MYZG/908226
12. https://www.bmaa.org/files/tads_bm45_cyclone_ax3-503.pdf
13. https://causewayairfield.co.uk/airfield-details/#:~:text=Address%2020%20Rhee%20Lane
14. https://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Causeway-Airfield
Location
Media:
Two men are in hospital after their light aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Causeway Airfield, near Coleraine https://t.co/9CXd7UoHz2 pic.twitter.com/9BFiBnmTya
— BBC News NI (@BBCNewsNI) 19 janvier 2019
BREAKING : Ongoing Incident : The Air Ambulance Is In Attendance.
— Causeway Community (@causewaynews) January 19, 2019
The Scene at Causeway Airfield at Aghadowey County Londonderry where it is believed an Ultralight Aircraft got into difficulties close to the landing strip. https://t.co/il7GLnXmry
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Jan-2019 16:53 | gerard57 | Added |
| 19-Jan-2019 17:23 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jan-2019 17:25 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, ] |
| 19-Jan-2019 17:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jan-2019 19:08 | ryan | Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jan-2019 21:32 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Plane category, ] |
| 20-Jan-2019 08:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Departure airport, ] |
| 20-Jan-2019 19:31 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 20-Jan-2019 20:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 29-May-2019 10:07 | BMAA | Updated [Registration, ] |
| 14-Aug-2024 05:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 21-Aug-2024 13:44 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
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