A plane that smashed into the ground before bursting into flames at a popular Isle of Wight holiday park may have suffered engine failure as a result of a bird strike, it is claimed.
It was just before 14:30 yesterday afternoon (Saturday) that a Bristell NG5 Speed Wing crashed into Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park shortly after taking off from Bembridge Airport, as first reported by Island Echo.
2 people – the pilot and a passenger – escaped with their lives after being pulled from the wreckage. It came after the ultra light aircraft lost all propulsion and began to rapidly descend, with the pilot attempting to make it back to the airport.
The plane clipped the top of a row of houses before immediately plummeting into an access road, wrecking a chimney stack, garden fence and smashing a conservatory roof in the process. The aircraft spun 180 degrees and then burst into flames.
Witnesses to the dramatic incident say that the pilot’s initial thoughts – after being pulled clear by 2 heroic holidaymakers – were that the plane had hit a bird.
Other witnesses say they heard a ‘pop’ noise as the engine cut out, and they then watched on helplessly as the propeller stopped spinning.
Amazingly, a much more significant incident – that could have involved mass casualties – was averted, especially taking into account the park is busy with Easter tourists. But it seems this was purely down to a miracle than anything else.
A few foot higher or lower and the plane would have either crashed into a house, or a caravan.
Island Echo understands the Bristell NG5 – registration G-CMSM – set off from Popham Airfield near Basingstoke at 11:00 yesterday morning, arriving for a spot of lunch at Bembridge just 25 minutes later.
The plane took off again at 14:21 and by 14:23 had crashed. It appears the engine failure occurred directly over Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park’s coastal site, with the pilot banking left before losing altitude and crashing into the north site.
A spokesperson for the Air Accident Investigation Bureau has said:
“The AAIB is aware of the incident and is investigating.”
Just 5 years ago the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued a safety notice following a number of fatal accidents globally involving spins and stalls of Bristell aircraft.
Flying planes for a hobby should be banned. It causes not only air pollution but also noise pollution as these inconsiderate amateur pilots constantly fly over beaches thinking we’re impressed; we’re not. And dangerous – in this instance it was a miracle no one was killed- take this moron pilot’s licence now permanently.
Mmmh, a hobby being a leisure pursuit, perhaps they should ban all leisure flights, going on holiday being one of them, or at least limit them in some way.
This ‘moron’ had about 45 seconds to avoid a disaster in a very stressful situation.
What they should ban are badly informed morons like you.
I think at 70,biggles needs to hang up his goggles