Chopper down in Macclesfield Cheshire

[JTobias]

BBC reporting 1 fatality in an incident (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8361523.stm) near Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Not good news. My condolences to family and friends



Joel

[cyclic flare]

Terrible news saw him fly over my house at 3pm

Perfect weather conditions

[JTobias]

Yes, I flew today and the conditions were very good.
****ty news........

Can I thank all those people who have enquired about my health this afternoon. It's very much appreciated, I'm happy to report I'm safe and well, though I regret that someone else has not been so fortunate.

Joel :(

[toptobottom]

Just heard about this - glad it wasn't you Joel.

Condolences to the pilot and his family and friends - bad news indeed :sad:

Cyclic flare - what machine was it?

[JTobias]

Thanks Roy,

I've had lots of txt's etc.

UNCONFIRMED reports are that it's an R22. I have registration etc, but I won't publish on the open forum, just in case.

Joel

[cyclic flare]

It was a black R22

[21lefthand]

I flew out of Sutton near Macclesfield over the hills to Chesterfield at 1.30pm the weather was exelent I cann't see that being a factor unless it changed a lot.

My condolences to everyone.

[cyclic flare]

The manchester evening news website show the aircraft a R22 on its side and confirms the reg G-RIDL.

[JTobias]

Updated report here (http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1182670_man_killed_in_helicopter_crash_named).

Joel :(

[cyclic flare]

A MAN who died when the helicopter he was flying crashed into farmland was named by police.

Businessman Tony Sullivan, 69, from Woodford, near Stockport, Greater Manchester, was known as an experienced engineer and helicopter pilot.

His aircraft crashed into farmland near Adlington, east Cheshire, shortly after 3.30pm yesterday.

An investigation into the cause has been launched by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Cheshire Police said Mr Sullivan was well-known in local business circles and also as a tireless charity worker.

In addition to being a trustee of Cliff College, an Evangelical Bible college in Derbyshire, he established a men's Christian group, meeting regularly at the Deanwater Hotel in Woodford.

A statement issued by Cheshire Police on behalf of his family, said he leaves behind his "beloved" wife, Gerry, and four children, Paul, Clare, Charlie and Camilla.

[toptobottom]

I'll be interested to hear what happened; reports are that it was good flying weather, the pilot was experienced and in that photo, the machine appears to be largely intact, indicating a relatively low energy impact :confused:

[ivakontrol]

Natural causes perhaps?

[float test]

looks like controlled flight to the ground shame we can't see the blades.

I did his r22 conversion some years back

super nice guy

RIP tony

[stringfellow]

i never had the pleasure of meeting this chap but he looks a cracking bloke. rip and our thoughts are with those he leaves behind.

[toptobottom]

I suppose it's always dangerous (and daft) to speculate on these things before the AAIB has published its findings, but if it was due to natural causes (or indeed a mechanical/carb icing problem) it does look at though it was at least a reasonably controlled initial descent to the ground. If he messed up a forced landing in the last few seconds, that really would be a terrible shame.

Hopefully, the AAIB will find the cause fairly quickly...

[midnight retired]

I flew with Tony on many occasions in around the 1978 period when he flew fixed wing with North West Flying School at Manchester Ringway,Tony was an above average Pilot who studied diligently, was a pleasure to teach and a perfect gentleman with a infectious sense of humour.
My thoughts are with his family and tonight I raise a glass to his memory.