Taken from Sky News..
Breaking News2:32pm UK, Friday January 02, 2009
Police suspect two people have been killed in a light aircraft crash near the West Coast Mainline.
The incident, which happened close to Colwich, near Rugeley, Staffordshire, has caused major travel disruption.
Officers believe two people were on board the single propellor plane.
“Sadly there was nothing that could be done and no-one was taken to hospital,” a spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said.
Several 999 calls were made at 11.55am and a rapid response car found the wreckage between two train tracks.
The plane brought down 25,000-volt cables, according to British Transport Police.
The West Coast Mainline is currently shut as overhead power lines were switched off.
Trains between Rugby and Stafford have been suspended, while Virgin services from London Euston to the north-west and Glasgow are severely disrupted.
When power is restored, Virgin trains will be diverted via Birmingham and Wolverhampton, which could make journeys up to 40 minutes longer.
“Passengers are advised to check with train operators to see how their services may be affected,” a Network Rail spokesman said.
Rick
By: Newforest - 9th October 2009 at 16:57
A possible aerobatic attempt cost the lives of three people last January according to the AAIB report. Apart from the inexperience of the pilot in this area of aviation, I guess aerobatics with three POB on board would be a serious no-no. 🙁
By: Newforest - 4th January 2009 at 11:18
The couple were only married last year.:(
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7810205.stm
By: critter592 - 3rd January 2009 at 14:48
Sad news…
…It was also reported on one of the local news channels as a Piper Cessna light aircraft.
The quality of media news reports never fail to amaze me… :rolleyes:
…One eyewitness described the aircraft as like a ‘Spitfire stunt plane’ and smiled happily all the way through his interview.
I saw that EW too… Imbecile.
At this point I switched it off. I’m still not quite sure why I did this – Maybe it was due to the reporter giving more emphasis on the delays to the train services, rather than to the occupants of the aircraft.
R.I.P. to those involved. Blue skies, chaps.
Don
By: Moggy C - 3rd January 2009 at 13:10
The wondering is over
The aircraft was registered to the pilot of the plane, Alan Matthews, 59, from Walsall, who died in the crash.
Moggy
By: Newforest - 3rd January 2009 at 12:56
Maybe three dead?:confused:
By: Moggy C - 2nd January 2009 at 22:14
It is a good point that the identification of the wreckage as a particular aircraft type may relieve the minds of those who have family or friends in a different type. In this case, surely speculation as to type, particularly if identified incorrectly, can only make matters more distressing.
The flying community is surprisingly small. In this era of the internet, fora and the like each of us tends to know many others. Some close friendships, some just as names on postings.
When a GA aircraft goes down each of us desperately wants to know that it didn’t take with it a friend. (OK, the death of anybody in an aircraft is equally sad in the great scheme of things, but you do genuinely hope it wasn’t ‘one of ours’)
So Kev, please forgive us if we seem overly interested in tracking down the exact aircraft, it’s a human failing, but a natural one I think.
It’s almost certainly safe to assume that the authorities will get to the family long before they happen to log onto a forum. Some day there will be an exception, but it’s just one of those things.
On balance I would hold that the greater good comes from identifying the airframe at the earliest moment.
Moggy
By: Newforest - 2nd January 2009 at 21:51
Aircraft now reported as PA-28, G-AWPS.:(
By: kev35 - 2nd January 2009 at 19:45
Good point except for the fact that it is being reported as a PA28 registered to a Walsall man. It was also reported on one of the local news channels as a Piper Cessna light aircraft. One eyewitness described the aircraft as like a ‘Spitfire stunt plane’ and smiled happily all the way through his interview.
None of which leaves us any clearer except for the knowledge that two people have died.
It is a good point that the identification of the wreckage as a particular aircraft type may relieve the minds of those who have family or friends in a different type. In this case, surely speculation as to type, particularly if identified incorrectly, can only make matters more distressing.
regards,
kev35
By: Propstrike - 2nd January 2009 at 18:45
It will matter to anyone who fears for family or friends who may have been flying today, but who DEFINITELY would not have been in a PA 28 variant.
By: kev35 - 2nd January 2009 at 18:21
One photograph showing wreckage makes it appear more like a “plastic/glass” structure rather than metal…..
Planemike
What does it matter for God’s sake?
Two people are dead. Isn’t that of slightly more importance than whether they were in a Cherokee, or a jumbo jet!
Regards,
kev35
By: Propstrike - 2nd January 2009 at 18:16
The airframe has suffered almost total destruction due to impact ( including high tension wires) and subsequent fire. An eyewitness (BBC report) says it was flying low, and then suddenly ‘rolled into the ground’.
TV reports also say PA28 Cherokee. It may be that the plastic fairings/spats are the only bits readily indentified.
By: Moggy C - 2nd January 2009 at 15:58
The possibility of a PA28 registered to a Walsall owner has been mentioned elsewhere based on the letters visible in the Sky News clip
Moggy
By: Newforest - 2nd January 2009 at 15:25
BBC with similar news and bus replacement services.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7808254.stm
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January 2, 2009 at 2:39 pm