Heliport
11th Mar 2003, 18:45
from the Sheffield Star A TEENAGER who broke into Sheffield airport and tried to fly a helicopter has been grounded... by the law.
Lee Mulcrone, aged 19, was so confident he could fly the R22 chopper he calmly lit a cigarette as he took the controls.
He didn't get very far – just far enough to spin the 'copter around on the tarmac.
And hapless Mulcrone was caught weeks later when police matched him to DNA on cigarette butts found in the cockpit.
Police also found a pilot training manual, stolen from the helicopter, under his bed.
Today sheepish Mulcrone told The Star: "I was just walking past and one thing led to another."
He confirmed he had been drinking heavily beforehand.
Sheffield magistrates heard Mulcrone, of Greenwood Avenue, Darnall, spotted three helicopters parked outside a hangar after scaling the airport's perimeter fence.
He climbed into the cockpit of one of the choppers, belonging to Dragon Helicopters flying school, and started the rotor blades.
During his spontaneous 'flying lesson' Mulcrone spun the helicopter round leaving scrape marks on the helicopter and on the ground.
Bob Alexander, company owner, said Mulcrone must have found the keys hidden on the helicopter.
He said: "The only way we knew he had been inside was when we found the helicopter facing the wrong direction.
"He got the rotor blades moving and spun it round several times – there were scape marks on the ground."
Mr Alexander believes that if Mulcrone had got the helicopter off the ground he would have killed himself.
"He managed to spin the machine around so he must have been close to lifting it.
"If he had done he wouldn't have known how to fly it – he would have crashed," he added.
Mulcrone admitted taking a vehicle without the owner's consent.
The helicopter was sent away so tests could be conducted on the engine and rotor blades.
And although Mulcrone's 20 minutes of madness caused no damage to the machine it left Dragon with a £12,500 bill just for carrying out safety checks – only partly covered by insurance.
Mulcrone was given a one year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £200 compensation.
He tries to steal a helicopter and gets a Conditional Discharge - no punishment! :mad:
Lee Mulcrone, aged 19, was so confident he could fly the R22 chopper he calmly lit a cigarette as he took the controls.
He didn't get very far – just far enough to spin the 'copter around on the tarmac.
And hapless Mulcrone was caught weeks later when police matched him to DNA on cigarette butts found in the cockpit.
Police also found a pilot training manual, stolen from the helicopter, under his bed.
Today sheepish Mulcrone told The Star: "I was just walking past and one thing led to another."
He confirmed he had been drinking heavily beforehand.
Sheffield magistrates heard Mulcrone, of Greenwood Avenue, Darnall, spotted three helicopters parked outside a hangar after scaling the airport's perimeter fence.
He climbed into the cockpit of one of the choppers, belonging to Dragon Helicopters flying school, and started the rotor blades.
During his spontaneous 'flying lesson' Mulcrone spun the helicopter round leaving scrape marks on the helicopter and on the ground.
Bob Alexander, company owner, said Mulcrone must have found the keys hidden on the helicopter.
He said: "The only way we knew he had been inside was when we found the helicopter facing the wrong direction.
"He got the rotor blades moving and spun it round several times – there were scape marks on the ground."
Mr Alexander believes that if Mulcrone had got the helicopter off the ground he would have killed himself.
"He managed to spin the machine around so he must have been close to lifting it.
"If he had done he wouldn't have known how to fly it – he would have crashed," he added.
Mulcrone admitted taking a vehicle without the owner's consent.
The helicopter was sent away so tests could be conducted on the engine and rotor blades.
And although Mulcrone's 20 minutes of madness caused no damage to the machine it left Dragon with a £12,500 bill just for carrying out safety checks – only partly covered by insurance.
Mulcrone was given a one year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £200 compensation.
He tries to steal a helicopter and gets a Conditional Discharge - no punishment! :mad: