Date:	Sunday 7 May 2017
Time:	14:27
Type:	Rotorsport UK MT-03
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-TELC
MSN:	RSUK/MT-03/028
Year of manufacture:	2008
Engine model:	Rotax 914-UL
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Carrickmore Airfield, Whitebridge Rd, Omagh, County Tyrone -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:	Carrickmore Airfield, Omagh, County Tyrone
Destination airport:	Newtownards Airport, County Down (EGAD)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Gyrocopter crashed landed in a field on Whitebridge near Carrickmore Airfield which injured the two people on board. The two men, understood to be from Scotland, are being treated at Belfast City Hospital and are in a stable condition. It is understood the aircraft went about 50 metres into the air and had to make an emergency landing.

The blue gyrocopter crashed close to the airfield at Carrickmore on a steep wooded hillside. The airfield was holding a Fly-In event. The gyrocopter is thought to have flown in from Scotland. The pilot and passenger were both taken to hospital.

The Irish Coastguard search and rescue helicopter, emergency services and the PSNI helicopter have been helping with the rescue efforts.

UPDATE: The official AAIB report into the accident was published on 12 October 2017, and the following is an extract from that report

"AAIB investigation to Rotorsport UK MT-03, G-TELC
Loss of climb performance on takeoff, near Carrickmore Airfield, Co. Tyrone, 7 May 2017.
There was a fly-in at Carrickmore Airfield over the weekend of 6 May to 7 May 2017. The pilot and passenger had flown there from Glasgow on the day of the accident; the flight was uneventful.

For the return flight to the UK mainland the pilot planned to fly first to Newtownards, Co Down, to refuel, before continuing across the sea to Kirkbride Airfield, Cumbria. The pilot reported that the gyroplane had 25 kg of fuel on board and a calculated takeoff weight of 445 kg, 5 kg below the Maximum Authorised Takeoff Weight.

Weather conditions were clear with a surface wind from 010 degrees at 9 knots and a temperature of 18 degrees C. Runway 26 was in use, which has an asphalt surface of 375 metres length and 6 metres width.

The airfield was busy; there were a number of aircraft departing after the fly-in and a Robinson R44 helicopter was carrying out local pleasure flights. The pilot lined up on Runway 26 and, mindful that the runway was relatively short, added an extra 50 rpm to the normal rotor pre-rotation speed of 200 rpm before starting to move along the runway.

The takeoff run appeared normal. After lifting off the pilot lowered the nose to maintain a level attitude and the gyroplane started to accelerate and then to climb. Towards the end of the runway the pitch attitude increased slightly and two seconds later the gyroplane started to sink. The pilot could not prevent the sink and turned slightly left, then right attempting to follow lower lying ground. The gyroplane descended into trees in a ravine beyond the end of the runway. It came to rest on a steep slope with the forward fuselage having struck a large tree stump.

The pilot and the passenger were both wearing full four-point harnesses, robust outdoor clothing and helmets. Both occupants were unconscious for a period of time after the impact and commented that they considered the helmets had protected them from more severe injury. Rescuers on foot, and subsequently the emergency services, arrived at the scene some minutes after the accident and assisted the pilot and the passenger. They were both flown to a nearby hospital."

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB report, the airframe was " Damaged beyond economic repair". As a result, the registration G-TELC was cancelled by the CAA on 14 August 2017 as "destroyed"

Carrickmore Airfield is located about 10 nautical miles East South-East of Omagh, South of the B46, West of Whitebridge Road and East of Maginn Road. The official postal address is "300 Whitebridge Road, Carrickmore, Tyrone, Omagh BT79 9HL"

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/59c39796ed915d408f041773/Rotorsport_UK_MT-03_G-TELC_10-17.pdf
2. http://www.tyronecourier.uk.com/articles/news/58468/copter-crash-injures-couple/
3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39836274
4. https://www.flyer.co.uk/carrickmore-fly-in-ireland/
5. http://ulsterherald.com/2017/05/07/gyrocopter-crash-lands/
6. https://www.facebook.com/events/1748555898697847/
7. https://www.facebook.com/ulsterheraldnews/posts/1318265944877918
8. http://gyroaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/ (Entry for May 7 2017)
9. https://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Carrickmore
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrickmore#Places_of_interest

This Rotorsport UK MT-03 was built in 2008, and was first UK registered from new as G-TELC on 23 January 2008. The rotorcraft was sold on to its 2nd owner on 20 February 2009, then to its 3rd (and ultimately final) owner on 2 July 2010. As at 15 March 2017, G-TELC had accumulated a total of 1051 flying hours on the airframe.

As a result of the incident at Carrickmore Airfield on 7 May 2017, the airframe was " Damaged beyond economic repair". Therefore, the registration G-TELC was cancelled by the CAA (and the airframe de-registered) on 14 August 2017 as "destroyed"

G-TELC Rotorsport UK MT-03 on finals to Glasgow Airport (GLA/EGPF) 22 May 2016:

Two people who were in the aircraft at the time are currently being treated at the scene for non-life threatening injuries.

— Ryan McAleer (@RyanMcAleerUH) May 7, 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-May-2017 17:19	ryan	Added
07-May-2017 19:58	Geno	Updated [Source, ]
07-May-2017 21:55	Aerossurance	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, ]
09-May-2017 18:04	Anon.	Updated [Aircraft type, ]
09-May-2017 21:12	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, ]
15-May-2017 15:19	Anon.	Updated [Registration, Embed code, ]
13-Oct-2017 15:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
21-Nov-2022 05:26	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, ]
25-May-2024 06:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]