Pilot ‘went into overdrive’ as plane crash lands in area after ‘one thing hit us’
The gyrocopter is understood to have experienced trouble over Greater Manchester before the pilot performed an emergency landing in a rural area near to Beaumont Road in the Lostock area of the town
A helicopter pilot who was forced to make an emergency landing in a field has opened up about the heart-stopping incident. Emergency services rushed to the scene following reports of a light aircraft crash in Bolton.
The gyrocopter is believed to have encountered difficulties over Greater Manchester, leading the pilot to execute an emergency landing in a rural area near Beaumont Road in Lostock.
The downed aircraft was discovered in a field accessible via a local farm on Junction Road West, off Beaumont Road. Speaking to the M.E. N, the pilot, who wished to remain unnamed, recounted: “Something hit us and basically took a propeller off. I just managed to pull it in and did a hard landing.”
He described the sudden shock: “There was a bang, and then you go into overdrive,” reports the Manchester Evening News.
Despite the scare, the pilot, a hobbyist with 15 years’ experience flying both helicopters and gyrocopters, remains undeterred. He told the M.E. N he intends to return to the skies as soon as possible, despite the day’s events.
He confidently stated: “Everything’s fine, I know with helicopter landings at the minute it’s the flavour of the month, but everything’s fine.”
He’s already reassured his loved ones, saying: “I’ve spoken to the girlfriend and my sister and said. ‘if you hear anything on Facebook, then it’s fine.”
He also praised the response from emergency services: “The police helicopters landed, and they were brilliant, everyone was brilliant.”
Unfazed by the ordeal, he concluded: “There’s no injuries, I’ve just to get it taken away and then try and get up in the air again tomorrow!”.
The farm’s owner, who rushed to help the pilot, recounted: “His engine went, and he just about landed but he was lucky. I saw everything, it was gliding and then crashed, I ran over to it and it was just one man in there and he just walked out.”
He advised the fortunate pilot: “I told him ‘you wanna play the lottery when you get in tonight, you’.”
He described a significant emergency response: “There were loads of cops, air ambulance, road ambulance, about five police.”
A representative for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) detailed: “At 1.40pm on Thursday (November 13) four fire engines from Bolton Central, Eccles and Atherton fire stations plus the technical rescue unit from Leigh fire station were called to reports of a helicopter making an emergency landing in a field off Kilworth Drive, Lostock.”
They added: “Firefighters made the aircraft and surrounding area safe alongside partners and were in attendance for around 45 minutes.”
