Fatal helicopter crash in Westmeath due to loss of control during training manoeuvre

Seán McCárthaigh

A fatal helicopter crash, which resulted in the death of two people in Co Westmeath two years ago, was probably due to a loss of control of the aircraft during a training manoeuvre to simulate an engine failure, an investigation has found.

Instructor Antonin Kabelka (47) from Czechia and his student Niall Cosby (46) from Glenageary, Co Dublin were killed after their Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopter crashed into a piggery near Killucan, Co Westmeath at 2:25pm on July 30th, 2024, during a training flight.

The fatal incident happened when control of the helicopter was lost at low altitude during a sixth practice autorotation.

An autorotation is an exercise designed to simulate a complete engine failure by using the upward flow of air during a controlled descent to keep the main rotor spinning in order to glide and land safely.

The helicopter, which had taken off from Weston Aerodrome in west Dublin, initially impacted with the surface of an agricultural field before striking the gable wall and roof of a piggery where it came to rest nose-down.

Both occupants were removed from the aircraft by first responders who cut their seat-belt harnesses.

However, a doctor who attended the scene declared the two men had been fatally injured.

The helicopter was destroyed, while there was significant damage to the piggery building.

Mr Cosby, a founder of a London-based software company, AG Grid, had bought the US-registered, five-seater helicopter in Malta in June 2023 while he was completing his first helicopter flight training course.

The businessman, who came originally from Straffan, Co Kildare, completed a skills test for a private pilot licence the previous month and had been issued with a licence which contained a rating on a Robinson 44 type helicopter just five days before his death.

Mr Kabelka, an instructor with over 5,200 hours of flying experience, had arrived in Ireland just two days before the fatal incident and had completed two training flights with Mr Cosby and another trainee on July 29th, 2024.

The instructor and his student had also completed a separate flight lasting 44 minutes on the morning of the crash.

The National Flight Centre at Weston Airport had organised the training flight.

A report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit revealed the helicopter was progressing in an acceptable manner for 45 seconds during the fatal autorotation.

The aircraft began yawing rapidly to the left at a height of 700 feet before rolling rapidly to the right as its rate of descent reached 3,900 feet per minute at one stage.

The helicopter manufacturer said its airframe was effectively being “pushed into the main rotor.”

Bell claimed the crew would likely have experienced a sense of “ground rush” due to the helicopter’s high rate of descent.

It also noted that they would have been subject to an unfamiliar force environment.

AAIU investigators found no evidence to indicate any pre-existing problem with any engine part that might have contributed to the fatal accident.

A postmortem found the instructor had died from asphyxia, chest compression and brain injuries, while he had also suffered multiple rib fractures.

The student died from asphyxia and chest compression injuries.

No alcohol or drugs were detected in either victim.

The report noted in relation to survival aspects that there was “adequate liveable space” remaining following the damage to the helicopter.

However, it was observed that there was significant destruction of the forward cockpit structure, while the extent of the injuries meant the accident was “not survivable.”

The AAIU noted that international statistics showed that a high proportion of accidents involving helicopters occur during autorotations.

They showed the number one error is the failure of a flight instructor to take control back before a point is reached where an instructor cannot recover the helicopter in time to prevent damage or injury.

The AAIU noted that one helicopter manufacturer had recommended that no more than three or four consecutive autorotations should be carried out due to the high percentage of training accidents which occurred after many consecutive autorotations.

AAIU investigators said one of the crew could momentarily have pulled a control lever as they were lifted from their seating position due to the swirling motion of the helicopter.

Bell informed the AAIU that the measurements recorded of the helicopter’s movement just seconds before the crash were “very unusual.”

Data from the aircraft indicated the instructor took control of the helicopter just seconds before it crashed.

The AAIU said the fact that it was the sixth consecutive autorotation meant it was possible the instructor’s focus had been adversely affected and the student had become fatigued.

The AAIU also issued several safety recommendations, including some for the attention of the National Flight Centre relating to record-keeping and supervision practices.