Pilot lost control in poor conditions before crash

The aircraft crash landed in the Dunston Industrial Estate in Chesterfield

A pilot who died in a crash lost control of his light aircraft when he attempted to make a journey in poor weather conditions, an investigation has found.

The plane left Coal Aston Airfield at 07:56 BST on 1 September 2024 and came down on land off Sheepbridge Lane, Chesterfield, shortly after 09:00.

A 71-year-old man, who piloted the aircraft and was the only person on board, died from his injuries.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report, published on Thursday, said the crash was "not survivable".

Police surrounded the scene as emergency services were called to the wreckage

The pilot had planned to travel from Coal Aston, near Dronfield, to Clench Common Airfield in Wiltshire on 1 September, and was aiming to depart at 10:00.

However, he told a friend that morning he intended to leave earlier due to thunderstorms forecast along his route, the report said.

After the pilot took off, his aircraft entered conditions that were "incompatible" with visual flight rules (VFR) - a method of flying where pilots navigate by visual reference to the ground.

The investigation found the pilot was not qualified to fly using an alternative method and "evidence indicated that he subsequently lost control of the aircraft".

Witness saw plane spiralling

Notes about timings and the weather, made by the pilot, were discovered at the scene of the crash.

However, the report said: "While his planning demonstrated some awareness of weather-related hazards, he likely lacked the knowledge and experience needed to accurately assess the conditions he encountered."

The report said witnesses saw and heard the aircraft before the crash.

One person reported seeing a light aircraft circling several times before losing sight of it as it entered a cloud close to Coal Aston Airfield.

Another witness said they saw the plane emerge from the clouds, turning towards the industrial estate in Chesterfield, and then climbing up at a steep angle.

The plane was then seen emerging from cloud, "spiralling out of control, straight down towards the ground", the report said.

The investigation did not identify any defects or anomalies with the aircraft that may have contributed to the accident.