JohnCenaFan28
04-10-2009, 08:28 PM
A couple on their way to Jersey for the Easter weekend have been killed when their light aircraft crashed in wet weather.
They had set off from Panshanger airfield in Cole Green, near Hertford, when tragedy struck at around noon on Friday.
The plane crashed into dense woodland in Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire, and the man and woman on board were both killed on impact.
He was a member of North London Flying School and the Piper aircraft was based at its Panshanger airfield.
A spokesman for the school said: "He was an amazing guy. I'm shocked and saddened that he is no longer with us. He was an outstanding person, he was a pilot and a good friend."
About 24 firefighters battled to put out the flames on the four-seater, fixed-wing craft in thick woodland on a steep hill, known as The Hangers.
A Polish stockman at nearby Ashford Farm heard shouting and then a bang like a gunshot as the single-engine aircraft crashed.
Simon Bridger, owner of the free-range turkey farm, said: "The stockman heard a lot of shouting and then there was a bang.
"He was in the barn and couldn't see anything happening. There was no smoke or anything. It was raining quite hard but then I think it's quite dense woodland so I suppose it has hit the trees."
Two Coastguard helicopters and a rescue team from Portsmouth were helping with the aftermath of the crash.
-Nova
They had set off from Panshanger airfield in Cole Green, near Hertford, when tragedy struck at around noon on Friday.
The plane crashed into dense woodland in Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire, and the man and woman on board were both killed on impact.
He was a member of North London Flying School and the Piper aircraft was based at its Panshanger airfield.
A spokesman for the school said: "He was an amazing guy. I'm shocked and saddened that he is no longer with us. He was an outstanding person, he was a pilot and a good friend."
About 24 firefighters battled to put out the flames on the four-seater, fixed-wing craft in thick woodland on a steep hill, known as The Hangers.
A Polish stockman at nearby Ashford Farm heard shouting and then a bang like a gunshot as the single-engine aircraft crashed.
Simon Bridger, owner of the free-range turkey farm, said: "The stockman heard a lot of shouting and then there was a bang.
"He was in the barn and couldn't see anything happening. There was no smoke or anything. It was raining quite hard but then I think it's quite dense woodland so I suppose it has hit the trees."
Two Coastguard helicopters and a rescue team from Portsmouth were helping with the aftermath of the crash.
-Nova