Menu
31/03/2008
Bodies To Be Removed From Crash Scene
The remains of five people killed when a private jet crashed into a housing estate in Kent, are being removed today.
The Cessna light aircraft, with two pilots and three passengers on board, crashed at around 2.30pm after taking off from Biggin Hill Airport to Pau, south of France to test a Jaguar XKR race car.
Officials have named all five victims. They included ex-touring car racer David Leslie and racing team owner Richard Lloyd. The other three dead have been named as 25-year-old former student, Chris Allarton, and pilots Mike Roberts, 63 and Mike Chapman, 57. Formal identification of the dead will not happen for some time.
No one on the ground was seriously injured, but two people were treated for shock.
The house and garage that the plane crashed into are destroyed but the couple that owned the property were on holiday.
Eyewitnesses describing the scene said they saw the terrified faces of those on board just before impact.
Resident Gary Lynes said: "It's a nightmare. I heard the engines roar, it was really loud and then I heard a massive bang and looked out to see a massive ball of black smoke."
It is thought the Cessna Citation got into difficulties soon after take-off from Biggin Hill. When the aircraft was around five miles from Biggin Hill, the pilot issued a mayday call citing engine vibration. He was granted permission to return to the site for landing, around two miles north of the airport when the plane crashed.
One unnamed female witness said that the crash "was an accident waiting to happen".
"Planes fly over this estate all the time and barely skim the rooftops. We have had to cross our fingers many times that the planes would not crash into the estate."
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesman said: "The AAIB inspectors are on the scene and investigating all aspects of the accident. It is not possible to speculate on the cause at this stage.
"The aircraft is registered in a private category and flight data recorders (black boxes) are not required and were not fitted. The AAIB will produce a preliminary report within 28 days."
John Sidbury, a pilot who was landing another plane at Biggin Hill, heard the mayday call.
He said: "You could hear the alarms in the cockpit.
"The pilot came back over the radio a second or two later and said 'We're going down, we're going down.'
"The radio stayed live, and I turned off the runway I looked back and I saw the plane basically drop out of the sky."
Residents have laid floral tributes at the scene and praised the actions of the two pilots. John Rainer, 45, of Petts Wood said: "It appears the pilot did everything he could to avoid the houses.
"He could have hit the houses and my whole family could have been completely obliterated. I'm just grateful to him for his actions - the plane could have taken out this whole street."
His wife Melissa, 33, added: "We're grateful to the pilot for avoiding the majority of the estate and saving the lives of many children and families."
(DS/JM)
The Cessna light aircraft, with two pilots and three passengers on board, crashed at around 2.30pm after taking off from Biggin Hill Airport to Pau, south of France to test a Jaguar XKR race car.
Officials have named all five victims. They included ex-touring car racer David Leslie and racing team owner Richard Lloyd. The other three dead have been named as 25-year-old former student, Chris Allarton, and pilots Mike Roberts, 63 and Mike Chapman, 57. Formal identification of the dead will not happen for some time.
No one on the ground was seriously injured, but two people were treated for shock.
The house and garage that the plane crashed into are destroyed but the couple that owned the property were on holiday.
Eyewitnesses describing the scene said they saw the terrified faces of those on board just before impact.
Resident Gary Lynes said: "It's a nightmare. I heard the engines roar, it was really loud and then I heard a massive bang and looked out to see a massive ball of black smoke."
It is thought the Cessna Citation got into difficulties soon after take-off from Biggin Hill. When the aircraft was around five miles from Biggin Hill, the pilot issued a mayday call citing engine vibration. He was granted permission to return to the site for landing, around two miles north of the airport when the plane crashed.
One unnamed female witness said that the crash "was an accident waiting to happen".
"Planes fly over this estate all the time and barely skim the rooftops. We have had to cross our fingers many times that the planes would not crash into the estate."
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesman said: "The AAIB inspectors are on the scene and investigating all aspects of the accident. It is not possible to speculate on the cause at this stage.
"The aircraft is registered in a private category and flight data recorders (black boxes) are not required and were not fitted. The AAIB will produce a preliminary report within 28 days."
John Sidbury, a pilot who was landing another plane at Biggin Hill, heard the mayday call.
He said: "You could hear the alarms in the cockpit.
"The pilot came back over the radio a second or two later and said 'We're going down, we're going down.'
"The radio stayed live, and I turned off the runway I looked back and I saw the plane basically drop out of the sky."
Residents have laid floral tributes at the scene and praised the actions of the two pilots. John Rainer, 45, of Petts Wood said: "It appears the pilot did everything he could to avoid the houses.
"He could have hit the houses and my whole family could have been completely obliterated. I'm just grateful to him for his actions - the plane could have taken out this whole street."
His wife Melissa, 33, added: "We're grateful to the pilot for avoiding the majority of the estate and saving the lives of many children and families."
(DS/JM)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
04 November 2011
Four Questioned About Double Shooting
Four men are being questioned by the police after a double shooting left one man dead and a teenager injured in southeast London. The incident happened in East Dulwich on Thursday afternoon and the police confirmed a 21-year-old man was killed and a teenager was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound.
Four Questioned About Double Shooting
Four men are being questioned by the police after a double shooting left one man dead and a teenager injured in southeast London. The incident happened in East Dulwich on Thursday afternoon and the police confirmed a 21-year-old man was killed and a teenager was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound.
05 September 2008
Heathrow Plane Crash-Landing Caused By Ice
The crash of a British Airways jet at Heathrow Airport earlier this year - from which, by some miracle, everyone escaped virtually unscathed - was probably caused by ice restricting the flow of fuel to the engines, investigators have now said.
Heathrow Plane Crash-Landing Caused By Ice
The crash of a British Airways jet at Heathrow Airport earlier this year - from which, by some miracle, everyone escaped virtually unscathed - was probably caused by ice restricting the flow of fuel to the engines, investigators have now said.
30 March 2011
Malta Tourists 'Not Worried' Over Libya
Holidaymakers on Malta have been asked about any concerns they might have about their visit to the Mediterranean island. There are fears that visitor numbers from the UK to what is Europe's nearest neighbour to Libya may be hit by the turbulence just over 200 miles away.
Malta Tourists 'Not Worried' Over Libya
Holidaymakers on Malta have been asked about any concerns they might have about their visit to the Mediterranean island. There are fears that visitor numbers from the UK to what is Europe's nearest neighbour to Libya may be hit by the turbulence just over 200 miles away.
23 October 2008
Investigation Launched After Laser Dazzles Pilots
Lothian and Borders Police have launched an investigation after two pilots were dazzled by a green laser while landing in Edinburgh. At around 9.30 pm on Tuesday the captain of a cargo plane which took-off from Aberdeen was landing manually in Edinburgh when a green laser was aimed at the plane causing the pilot to drop the aircraft by 400ft.
Investigation Launched After Laser Dazzles Pilots
Lothian and Borders Police have launched an investigation after two pilots were dazzled by a green laser while landing in Edinburgh. At around 9.30 pm on Tuesday the captain of a cargo plane which took-off from Aberdeen was landing manually in Edinburgh when a green laser was aimed at the plane causing the pilot to drop the aircraft by 400ft.
15 August 2005
Flight recorders recovered from wreckage
The black boxes have been recovered from the wreckage of the Cypriot airliner in which all 121 passengers and crew lost their lives. The incident, the worst ever air accident in Greece, occurred near to Athens at around 12.00pm local time (9.00am BST) on Sunday when Helios Airways Flight 522 plunged into a hillside.
Flight recorders recovered from wreckage
The black boxes have been recovered from the wreckage of the Cypriot airliner in which all 121 passengers and crew lost their lives. The incident, the worst ever air accident in Greece, occurred near to Athens at around 12.00pm local time (9.00am BST) on Sunday when Helios Airways Flight 522 plunged into a hillside.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A showery start with outbreaks most frequent north of Lough Neagh and through the morning, before dwindling during the afternoon as the northwest breezes ease and brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A dry night, save for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
