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.”