Fatal crash in Hampshire today.

I apologise for posting as I’m guess I’m doing so for my own selfish needs. Apart from looking into a PPL in my late 20’s I haven’t really thought about flying. I’m 38 this year, married, have 2 boys with a girl on the way in about 4 weeks time…

*Deep Breath*…….The aircraft you’re talking about crashed a 100 yards in front of me while I was out with the dogs on Good Friday. I found the plane and pilot, who was still alive, within the next few minutes but it was on a steep hill and in dense woods so quite a nightmare. Apart from the dogs panting it was just me and him, in the fog, in complete silence (apart from me jabbering on the phone to the Services) the air was completely still. I pretty much held his hand and reassured him for 30 minutes until the coastguard arrived. Unfortunately it was too late for him. Couple of minutes later I was told there was a female with him who also died.

Please, please ignore any reports you’ve read of 24 firemen fighting to put out a blaze. There was no fire.

I know in my head there was nothing else I could do for him but I’m still absolutely gutted I really thought he was going to be ok. I’ve relived my actions a thousand times, can’t help but beat myself up about it all though.

Again, I apologise if I’ve over stepped the mark.

Regards

Stewart

Stewart,

I can actually say I’ve been in your shoes. To make it worse, I was just starting out my PPL and had flown in the aircraft’s sister ship three days before with my new instructor on my first flight with him. Was at the airport that weekend for an airshow, and just afterward, these three 17 year-olds took off, stalled, and spun in. I was second or third to the scene and it was not pleasant. It’s sad, and it can live with you for a long time. Best thing to do is to move on, occasionally remember, and pray for their families, who have lost a more significant portion of their life than you.
Hang in their and don’t blame yourself…
BTW. Now I’m an instructor and I shudder every once in a while hoping that none of my students ever makes a similar mistake. But that’s what we train them to avoid.

Ryan

And we all know that the sea is a reluctant servant and a severe master so what does that make the air?

Sad! “Aviation is not inherently dangerous, but to an even greater extent than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect” — Capt. A.G. Lamplugh

Such events are always a sad event. All I can say is my condolences to their families and friends.

AAIB report published.

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Piper%20PA-28-181,%20N2405Y%2004-10.pdf

Hope it goes well, Stewpot.

Simply tragic 🙁

I’m meeting the policeman who arrived just after the coastguard. Hopefully that will fill in a few more gaps.

Cheers

Stewart

The passenger was apparantly on her first flight in a light plane.:(

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/Dream-flight-turned-to-tragedy.5181194.jp

Stewpot,

All pilots know that by flying light aircraft we are increasing our risk exposure.

It is something we assess and decide it to be worth that risk for the sheer joy it brings.

We will never know what, if anything, was going through the mind of the pilot in those last moments, but sure as anything your being there was a bonus.

Thank you from all of us.

Moggy

Stewpot in time things will start to feel better but this is a difficult time. Its commendable that you was able to walk past the area though and this is a step towards moving on. Have you put any flowers down at the crash site? Maybe this will also help you. I think I said it in a private message, but if ever I end up in a situation such as the one they were in then I hope that there is someone near by to help me just like you did with them.

sorry for the timing of my last post, I didn’t realise that the names had been announced.

May they both rest in peace.

Stewart

As I had the day off work today I decided to bite the bullet and take the dogs out on the same walk as last Friday. A completely different day as in the weather though. I was fine on the approach to the hill but once on it I really started to feel quite emotional. I half expected the police still to be around with lots of incident tape blocking my path. This was not the case, the path and hill was completely open to the public again. As I walked up the hill everything just looked as it has done for the last nine years. It didn’t take long to get to the crash site which bought back such vivid memories. What did surprise me, in the warm sunshine, was how peaceful the whole area felt. I passed some flowers that a relative had left and stood where the plane had rested. The whole area seemed a lot smaller, the slope didn’t seem as steep either. The whole area had been cleared very carefully, at first I only saw a small piece of glass. I only stayed there for a couple of minutes but found myself talking to the pilot again, just saying what happed and that I was sorry . As I turned and headed back up the hill an A4 piece of paper laid in my way. It was page 8 of 10 and part of the Panshanger Aerodrome Young Aviator Workbook, this particular page is titled……… ‘How Aircraft Fly’! It made me chuckle to myself and somehow made me feel a little better about the whole situation.

I’m going to send it to the Flying Club with a small note on how I came across it.

Thanks again for your support

Cheers

Stewart

Very sad indeed, R.I.P to them both. Dave Boon was well known at my flying club in Panshanger, Its good to know that someone was with him in that last half hour Stewart. Don’t doubt yourself for one second mate.

Cheers, Huw

The pilot and passenger have now been named.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8001952.stm

I know it is only a local newspaper, the Midhurst Observer, but the reporter states that both occupants died immediately and there was a fire that was extinguished by the firemen.:confused:

http://www.midhurstandpetworth.co.uk/469/Crash-investigation-on-plane-continues.5169038.jp

That comment has been copied by the press across the what country and really has got to me. While I can understand why they may have said that the couple died instantly, ie no suffering. The press then go and fudge it all up by making up some fire story.

I know in my head there was nothing else I could do for him but I’m still absolutely gutted I really thought he was going to be ok. I’ve relived my actions a thousand times, can’t help but beat myself up about it all though.

Again, I apologise if I’ve over stepped the mark.

Regards

Stewart

when I was 15, there was a car accident close to my school, we were on the field in an unsupervised PE lesson and went over the fence to the scene. There was total silence (it seemed) and a very still lady in the car, as we approached a very upset dog was running around, we got a hold of it, put (IIRC) a t-shirt or something through its collar to use as a lead and calmed it down. One look at the car was enough, the front half was very compacted (head on collision, other vehicle had people around it) The authorities arrived, took the dog from us, thanked us, walked us back into school. Very numb, very quiet, no banter, even now its difficult to think about in detail. Every word you have written is understandable from my point of view.

Whilst that exact accident may not have happened before its not very far from where Gus Bentine (Michael’s son) was killed when a Piper PA-18 Supercub G-AYPN crashed into a hillside at Ditcham Woods on 28 August 1971. His body and aircraft were not found until 31 October.

Moggy

And to Stewpot.. no need to apologise for posting. If it has helped at all to share it here then we have achieved something for you.

From the Guardian Article:

She added: “It’s very, very sad. We have been here 46 years and this has never happened before.

Very useful! Why should it have happened before? My grandma has lived where she lives for 60 years and she never mentioned a plane crashing in the nearby forest!

There’s nothing spectacular about the area which might make it a candidate for a crash site!

I know it is only a local newspaper, the Midhurst Observer, but the reporter states that both occupants died immediately and there was a fire that was extinguished by the firemen.:confused:

http://www.midhurstandpetworth.co.uk/469/Crash-investigation-on-plane-continues.5169038.jp

Its all very surreal at the moment and I’m still unsure with myself if what I did or didn’t do would ever be enough. I guess I’ll never know.

You did all that you could in a tragic situation.