Galway Bay fm newsroom - A report has found that an airplane that crash landed at Killimordaly in July last year was not using approved fuel.
The pilot and a passenger were seriously injured in the crash.
At around lunchtime on July 11th, 2020, the pilot of a Cessna Hawk XP reported an engine failure while flying north-west of Loughrea.
Shortly after, the plane crashed in a field near Killimordaly - witnesses described the plane as making "no noise" as it passed overhead.
The pilot and passenger were removed from the plane by a passer-by and the pilot was airlifted to UHG with serious injuries, while the passenger was taken via ambulance.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit subsequently launched an investigation, and a report on the incident has now been published.
A thorough inspection found that detonation-induced damage to the engine was primarily due to the continued use of Mogas - fuel that is normally used for motor vehicles.
The plane is not certified to run on Mogas and its use is not approved by the manufacturer, who warns of the risk of using such fuel.
Meanwhile, the probable cause of the hard crash itself was deemed to be a loss of control due to stall and wing drop of the left wing at a low height during a forced landing without engine power.
The aircraft's certificate of airworthiness was valid, as were the pilot's license, ratings and medical cert.
