What happened
On 15 July 2015, a Westland Gazelle HT Mk.3 (SA 341), registration G-BXTH, attempted to land on a narrow canal bank in Abbeyshrule, Co. Longford. The aircraft, which had recently arrived from the United Kingdom, was performing a private flight with one pilot and one passenger on board.
During the second approach toward a restaurant and guesthouse, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the timber-clad upper section of a building. The impact caused the tail of the aircraft to swing violently into the structure, resulting in the tail boom separating from the fuselage and breaking apart. The wreckage of the tail rotor fell into the Royal Canal, while the main body of the helicopter rolled onto the canal bank. While the two occupants of the aircraft escaped without injury, a person inside the building sustained a minor cut from flying debris. The helicopter was destroyed in the accident.
The investigation
The AAIU examined the flight sequence, the pilot's credentials, and the aircraft's airworthiness status. Investigators reviewed CCTV and mobile phone footage of the collision, as well as interviews with the pilot, the passenger, and the building's owner.
The investigation established that the pilot's focus had shifted toward a mooring bollard on the canal bank during the final moments of the descent, leading to a loss of concentration regarding the rotor blade clearance. Furthermore, the investigation found that the pilot's type rating for the SA 341 had expired, as it had not been revalidated since May 2014. Additionally, because the G-BXTH was an ex-military aircraft, the operator had failed to obtain the necessary permission from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to operate within Irish airspace.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of clearance between the main rotor blades and an adjacent building during the landing attempt.
- The selection of the landing site was inappropriate and unsuitable due to the confined space, presence of obstacles, and aerodynamic hazards.
- The pilot's type rating for the aircraft was not valid at the time of the occurrence.
- Permission to operate the ex-military aircraft in Ireland had not been requested from the IAA.
- No permission to land had been sought from the local landowner or Waterways Ireland.
- Bystanders were positioned in close proximity to the aircraft during the maneuver.