News from Carrickmacross

The aircraft swooped in and landed on the lands of Patsy and Jean McNally at Magheross and just off the Drumconrath Road outside Carrickmacross at approximately 7.30pm on Saturday evening. The aircraft turned out to be a big attraction for the McNallys as well as the neighbouring Walsh family as well as for numerous people in passing cars on the adjacent Drumconrath Road who stopped to have a good look at the unusual sight.

The pilot had been on a pleasure flight out of Drogheda Aerodrome when bad weather closed in. The pilot and his two passengers decided to use the opportunity to visit friends in Carrickmacross and having looked for a suitable landing site settled on the McNally’s farm and made a perfect landing much to the surprise of local residents!

The pilot did not wish to be identified but he told the Gazette. ? We could have flown around the bad weather but we decided to land in Carrickmacross and take off again on Sunday morning as we were not under any pressure to get back to Drogheda on Saturday evening. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the aircraft. It was simply an unscheduled landing which happens regularly with light aircraft. I used the time to visit friends in Carrickmacross as I already know a few private pilots who live in South Monaghan.’

Patsy and Jean’s son Justin McNally said: ‘We couldn’t believe it when the plane landed on our fields. The pilot got out and asked us was it ok to leave the aircraft overnight. He then went into the town with his two passengers.’ The flyers returned the following morning and did a perfect take off from ‘Carrickmacross aerodrome’ at around 11.30am on Sunday and in clear flying conditions. ‘We were back in Drogheda aerodrome in about twenty minutes having done a few circuits of the McNally farm first. I'd like to thank all concerned for letting us land and take off again and for looking after the aircraft overnight’ concluded the pilot.