Local eye-witnesses told investigation team of final moments before fatal helicopter crash in Kildare - preliminary report

Witnesses to fatal helicopter crash in Co Kildare saw the helicopter nose-dive in the final moments of the flight.

The pilot, who was from Dublin, was killed in the incident.

A preliminary report into the crash by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) was published today. 

Video footage obtained by the investigators showed the final one second of the flight in which the report said the helicopter can be seen descending in "a steep nose-down attitude".

The Robinson 44 helicopter, which was registered in the US, crashed in a field in Kennycourt, about 6km from Kilcullen, at 3.45pm on December 11.

Met Éireann said weather conditions at the time of the crash showed the probability of freezing fog on the day was high.

According to the nine-page report: "The Investigation spoke to several witnesses following the accident.

"The witnesses were situated at a number of locations in the Kennycourt and surrounding areas. The helicopter was heard to be ‘coming and going’, ‘circling’ and ‘moving around’.

"Some of the witnesses reported being able to see a ‘flashing light’ or that the helicopter became low enough to briefly see its underside. However, others said that they could not see and could only hear it.

"One witness said that they thought that the helicopter was going to land, before it climbed ‘nose straight up’ and into cloud. A number of witnesses reported seeing the helicopter descend steeply nose-first, prior to impact.

"Some witnesses described hearing the sound of the engine running until an impact was heard."

The helicopter was destroyed due to the impact and a post-crash fire.

The wreckage was recovered from the site and transported under escort to the AAIU’s wreckage examination facility, where a full examination will be carried out in due course.

The AAIU said the investigation is ongoing, and a Final Report will be published in due course.