A pilot is being hailed for saving the lives of his passengers after safely landing a helicopter in a suburban Sydney park.
Residents in Sydney’s northern beaches looked on in shock as the chopper made an emergency landing in Des Creagh Reserve, Avalon, this morning.
The pilot made a mayday call after the aircraft's engines began surging.
Residents in Sydney’s northern beaches looked on in shock as the chopper made an emergency landing in Des Creagh Reserve, Avalon, this morning.
The pilot made a mayday call after the aircraft's engines began surging.
c3988b7d02b2
Locals told 9NEWS the aircraft "sounded like a jet revving", and video filmed by a witness showed the aircraft quickly dropping in altitude.
"It was going down so fast we were expecting some sort of fireball,” witness Andy Wigan said.
Passenger Nino Di Cuollo and his cousins were on the joy flight from Mascot to Palm Beach when the trouble struck.
"The pilot called out ‘brace, brace brace’ and I thought that’s it, we’re gone," Mr Di Cuollo told 9NEWS.
"The last two metres the helicopter just dropped and just hit the ground, it was some drop.
"We owe our lives to him [the pilot]."
"It was going down so fast we were expecting some sort of fireball,” witness Andy Wigan said.
Passenger Nino Di Cuollo and his cousins were on the joy flight from Mascot to Palm Beach when the trouble struck.
"The pilot called out ‘brace, brace brace’ and I thought that’s it, we’re gone," Mr Di Cuollo told 9NEWS.
"The last two metres the helicopter just dropped and just hit the ground, it was some drop.
"We owe our lives to him [the pilot]."
In a statement this afternoon, The Experiences Group confirmed one of its aircraft had been involved in a "precautionary forced landing".
"All passengers and crew are safe and we are thankful to the careful responsive actions of our well trained pilot in command who made the appropriate decision on the day," it said.
"Our passengers are being looked after and returned to Sydney by road.
"The company has an impeccable safety record over its ten year history, and dedicates significant resources to training and pilot education to enable safe management of situations such as today.
"No one was injured in the emergency landing and several emergency services and police officers attended the scene."
Firefighters have created an exclusion zone around the chopper, which remains in the reserve.
It is expected to be removed by a crane or large helicopter onto a flat bed truck.
#Helicopter #CrashLanding #Sydney #Aviation #Charles_Dalberto #Perla_Group
"All passengers and crew are safe and we are thankful to the careful responsive actions of our well trained pilot in command who made the appropriate decision on the day," it said.
"Our passengers are being looked after and returned to Sydney by road.
"The company has an impeccable safety record over its ten year history, and dedicates significant resources to training and pilot education to enable safe management of situations such as today.
"No one was injured in the emergency landing and several emergency services and police officers attended the scene."
Firefighters have created an exclusion zone around the chopper, which remains in the reserve.
It is expected to be removed by a crane or large helicopter onto a flat bed truck.
#Helicopter #CrashLanding #Sydney #Aviation #Charles_Dalberto #Perla_Group
