FATAL - AutoGyro MTOSport 2017 LY-MTQ, Kučiai, Panevėžys, Lithuania 26 MAY 2023

TyroGyro

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2016
Messages
567
Location
Liverpool, UK
Aircraft
MTOsport G-IROD
Total Flight Time
150



Sklandytuvo_avarija.jpg


60-year old experienced pilot crashed in trees, according to some reports during a "display".

Sincere condolences to all affected by this tragedy.
 
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The story indicates that his engine quit. Witnesses said he was able to restart it but it seems he was too low/slow and could not avoid the trees.
 
Terrible day for the couple getting married …
 
The story indicates that his engine quit. Witnesses said he was able to restart it but it seems he was too low/slow and could not avoid the trees.
To state the obvious, when the motor goes quiet, I suggest:

Pick your field
Set your speed
Start your approach
Reset your transponder for emergency
Make your radio call
Try a restart (mags, mixture, fuel, etc.) only if you have time left over
 
Unusual attachment in the attached photo (blue tubing along w/ purple-colored pool noodle?).
Or, something searchers/rescuers use for marking the cockpit in an accident scene?

Obviously an experienced gyroplane pilot, as evidenced by the short video clip of him putting his machine down between the lines in a spot landing contest w/ a passenger onboard:
 

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What a lamentable tragedy; my condolences. He must have been "displaying" low and directly over the copse of trees. Many fields were nearby for a forced landing. He crashed about 1000' from the hangar building in background. The manor has its own airstrip.

Kevin, the "pool noodle" seems to be metal art of two fishes, and unrelated to the crash responders.

20230526 - AutoGyro MTO LY-MTQ crash3.png
 

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Yes, such a "lamentable tragedy", being yards away from an open field...

Andino: How were you able to determine the exact location in the woods w/ relation to the manor house & the hangar across the field?

This reminds me of the colored lines w/ labeling drawn of various features posted here on the RWF for the Autogyro fatal accident @ the Hildesheim airport & the other fatal one a few years earlier in the dense woods of a cross country flight in Germany & the Chris Lord fatality in FL...
 
I agree Kevin, it's difficult to discern the exact location of the incident, but based on this photo, it's unfortunate this incident occurred when the surrounding vicinity is 80% open fields...1685973107038.png
 
Andino: How were you able to determine the exact location in the woods w/ relation to the manor house & the hangar across the field?

This reminds me of the colored lines w/ labeling drawn of various features posted here on the RWF for the Autogyro fatal accident @ the Hildesheim airport & the other fatal one a few years earlier in the dense woods of a cross country flight in Germany & the Chris Lord fatality in FL...
The lead photo in this thread plainly showed the crash site at the edge of trees, and a few hundred meters almost directly in front of a curved roof structure. Since the pilot was "displaying" for a wedding at the luxury manor, he would have been likely very nearby. Also, the photos showed emergency personnel staging at the manor, another indication of the crash being very nearby. A Bing Earth view showed the curved roof hangar being the likely building, and its corner pole shadow can even be seen.

I didn't label the photo, but added the red line and circle. Yes, I've noticed other posts with such helpful graphics; seemed worthy of general emulation.

I agree Kevin, it's difficult to discern the exact location of the incident, but based on this photo, it's unfortunate this incident occurred when the surrounding vicinity is 80% open fields...View attachment 1158555
Thanks for the larger scale overview. The crash seems along that N/S treeline, probably on the southern half due to that photo with the background hangar. It seems the pilot was over those trees during his loss of power or whatever was the issue. He apparently didn't give himself much leeway for failure.
 
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