A home-built plane had to make emergency landings in Waterford because of fuel problems on two successive experimental flights, according to an air accident report just released
It calls for safety warning notices to be installed on this kind of home-built sporting aircraft to alert people of the higher risks of flying in them.
The single-engined American Long-EZ ended up in a field near Bunmahon after the first engine failure occurred about 600 feet above the sea just off the coast.
The 36-year-old pilot and his Dutch passenger were not injured while the plane only suffered minor damage when it hit an electric fence in the field when it landed in June 2003.
The report says possible causes of the problem could have been carburettor settings and a poor magneto spark with perhaps a case of "induction" icing. Two months later the engine again stopped on the first test flight after the Bunmahon incident. The plane was able to land at Waterford airport.
In a safety recommendation, air accident investigator John Hughes says the Irish Aviation Authority should consider a requirement that warning notices are displayed.
A group who fly the Long-EZ in California recommend the the plane and the flight manual should come with warnings.
"Passengers should be aware of the higher risks involved in flying in a home-built aircraft rather than a factory aircraft with a full Certificate of Airworthiness.
"A placard to this effect placed in both cockpits should be considered for all homebuilts," the report says.
The Long-EZ is one of a number of home-build aircraft designs. The aircraft is intended for efficient long-range flight, and can travel for over 10 hours and up to 1,600 miles on 52 gallons of fuel. The pilot sits in a semi-reclined seat with the passenger behind him.
The report says that, in Ireland, the building and testing of home-built aircraft is regulated by the Society of Amateur Aircraft Constructors (SAAC).
Home-built aircraft are not issued with a certificate of airworthiness but with a "permit- to-fly".