Poor conditions led to plane crashing at industrial estate

PILOT LOST CONTROL OF LIGHT AIRCRAFT AS VISIBILITY HIT LAST YEAR

- By ZENA HAWLEY

POOR visibility contributed to a pilot losing control of his light aircraft and crashing into an industrial estate near Chesterfield, according to a newly-published report by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The unnamed 71-year-old pilot was the only person in the plane and died in the “not survivable” crash on September 1, 2024.

The report said the Sportstar SLM left Coal Aston Airfield, near Dronfield, at 7.56am to fly to Clench Common Airfield in Wiltshire, and came down on land off Sheepbridge Lane, Chesterfield, shortly after 9am.

The pilot had originally intended to fly at 10am but decided to leave earlier because of the threat of thunderstorms on the route south.