Plane takes off without pilot and flies out to sea

A Pegasus Quantum 15, similar to the one above, took off on its own and flew off over the North Sea

A light aircraft was last seen flying out to sea after it took to the air without its pilot.

The Pegasus Quantum 15 ultralight aircraft made its escape from a Northumberland airfield after its pilot attempted to fix its flat battery.

The unlucky aeronaut decided to start the engine by hand from outside the vehicle - and was a little too successful.

Reporting the incident, the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the aircraft "accelerated away from the pilot and took off".

"It was subsequently tracked by radar as it flew over the coast north of Newcastle and flew out to sea," it said.

"It was presumed to have subsequently crashed into the sea."

The aircraft, registered as G-MYZL, made its unplanned flight from Athey's Moor Airfield, near Longframlington, on 3 October.

The site is about 8 miles (13km) from the coast.

The Pegasus Quantum is a recreational aircraft with three wheels and an open cockpit able to seat two people. It has a hang glider-style wing and a rear propeller.