The incident involving a Cessna 172 aircraft happened in Carrigeen near Mooncoin in Co Kilkenny at around 12.40pm this afternoon.
The plane was routing back on a routine training flight towards Waterford when the incident occurred.
“A Cessna 172 was routing back on a routine training flight towards Waterford when the pilot experienced a rough-running engine,” said a spokesperson from Atlantic Flight Training Academy. “He informed Air Traffic Control in Waterford and advised that he had identified a suitable landing site in close proximity.
“The pilot positioned the aircraft for landing and carried out a precautionary landing in a suitable grass field, in accordance with standard operation procedures, north of Waterford Airport.
“There were no injuries to either the instructor or the student. We can confirm neither attended hospital.
“Both were assessed and cleared on site and have safely returned to Waterford Airport Base,” concluded the spokesperson.
Emergency services, including the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117, were called to the scene.
In a statement to the Irish Independent, a garda spokesperson said the scene of the incident has been preserved to allow for an investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Unit.
“Gardaí and emergency services are currently at the scene of an emergency landing involving a light aircraft at Carrigeen, Co Kilkenny which occurred at approximately 12.40pm this afternoon, Wednesday, December 10,” said the spokesperson.
“No injuries have been reported. The scene is preserved pending an investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU).”
Today’s incident is the second time a light aircraft has crashed landed in the South East in recent weeks.
On November 20, a light aircraft lost power or control before crashing while making an emergency landing in Waterford, killing one person.
The incident occurred when an Italian-built twin engined light aircraft went down in a field as it attempted to make an emergency landing, falling just short of the runway at Waterford Airport.
Reports indicated the pilot had declared an emergency off the Waterford coast in the minutes prior to the crash landing.
A major incident was declared with almost 30 members of the gardaí, paramedics, Coast Guard and Waterford Fire Brigade personnel deploying to the site at Lisselan between Tramore and Dunmore.
The incident occurred in a field near the R685 road which was immediately closed by gardaí to facilitate the work of the emergency services.
The plane involved was a high-wing, twin-engined Partenavia-Vulcanair P68 aircraft. It was on a flight from Sligo to Bezier in France and had taken off less than an hour before the incident unfolded.
The pilot declared an emergency off the Waterford coast just before 1pm and immediately turned towards Waterford Airport in a bid to make an emergency landing.
