FAMILIES of passengers who died in the Manx2 plane crash at Cork airport are suing the aircraft’s manufacturer.
Four passengers and two crewmen were killed when the twin turbo prop Fairchild Metroliner, on a commuter flight from Belfast, crashed on its third attempt to land in thick fog at Cork on February 10, 2011.
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/manx2-air-crash-in-cork-deaths-confirmed-1-3065814|Related article: Our report on the day of the crash}
The aircraft rolled on to its roof and then left the runway surface, coming to rest with both engines catching fire.
Another six passengers survived the horrific impact.
A lawsuit was lodged last month in Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois on behalf of relatives of Patrick Cullinane, Richard Noble, Michael Evans and Brendan McAleese, a cousin of the husband of former Irish President Mary McAleese.
The families are suing M7 Aerospace, the plane’s manufacturer, and Honeywell International and Woodward Governor Company, the makers of sub-components for the plane, claiming the aircraft ‘contained conditions which rendered it defective and not reasonably safe’.
An interim accident investigation report published on the first anniversary of the disaster found that while no pre-accident defects were identified with the aircraft, an anomaly was found during an examination of engine control components.
Investigators from the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit found there was a small mismatch between the torque being delivered by the two engines of up to five per cent.
They found a defect with the sensor which resulted in incorrect scheduling of fuel flow to the second engine, which had an effect on engine performance.
The AAIU’s ongoing investigation is also examining operational control and regulatory oversight including the ‘complex relationships’ between Manx2 as ticket seller, Barcelona-based airline Flightline BCN, which held the air operator’s certificate, and a second Spanish company, Air Lada, based in Seville, that supplied the aircraft and crew. A final report will be issued in due course.
The girlfriend and parents of newly-qualified co-pilot Andrew Cantle, 27, who was at the controls when the plane crashed, are suing the two Spanish companies involved in operating the flight.
Mr Cantle’s partner, Beth Webster, said his family had suffered ‘severe trauma’.
Following a management buy-out, Manx2 has ceased trading and services are being operated by a new company trading as Citywing which has taken on all the forward bookings made with Manx2.
