A pilot believed to be a woman in her 40s has died after her light aircraft crashed near Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon, triggering a major emergency response and an investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
The crash was reported at around 10am on Friday, prompting the deployment of police, firefighters, ambulance crews and an air ambulance to the scene near Honiton. The South Western Ambulance Service confirmed it sent a double-crewed ambulance, an air ambulance, a hazardous area response team, an operations officer and a responding officer after being called at 10.01am.
“A female pilot in her 40s died after her light aircraft crashed near Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon on Friday morning.”
Police pronounced the pilot dead at the scene. They confirmed nobody else was on board the aircraft and that her next of kin have been informed.
Three fire engines also attended, with emergency services working alongside the AAIB to establish the cause of the crash. Superintendent Jo Arundale urged the public not to speculate about the circumstances.
“We will be working closely with The Air Accident Investigation Branch to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash this morning,” she said. “We recognise it is a very sad incident and we are appealing to the public not to speculate regarding the crash. Furthermore, we would like to ask anybody who may have relevant footage to get in touch with us and not to post it online. Our thoughts are with the friends and family of the person involved.”
Police have asked anyone with relevant footage to call 101 or visit the police website, quoting log 268 of 26 June.
The AAIB will examine the wreckage, weather conditions, witness accounts and maintenance records to determine what caused the crash, a standard procedure following such incidents. The investigation is ongoing.