Westland Gazelle HT MK.3 (SA 341) crash near Ireland

While attempting to land on a canal bank adjacent to a restaurant/guesthouse in Abbeyshrule, Co. Longford, the main rotor blades of the helicopter made contact with a timber-clad wall of the building. This caused the tail of the helicopter to swing rapidly towards the wall and collide with it. The tail boom separated from the helicopter, broke apart, and came to rest in the canal. The helicopter rolled to the right and impacted with the canal bank. Debris was scattered over a large area of the canal and its bank. There was no fire. The Pilot and Passenger evacuated the helicopter and were uninjured. One person, who was in the building at the time of the event, received minor injuries.