Gazelle Crash Cheltenham
Just looking at the posts after being informed earlier of the news as many are in the dark over what has happened and dont really want any speculation to go in the wrong direction as sometimes happens in these circumstances, I know both the owners of this A/C and have flown with both pilots. One owner who is registered as the keeper where the A/C is based is two miles from my house. The Pilot that was flying was Rick Paskey and had either his son with him or another male and a female family friend.
He visited the second owners house this morning at around 08:30 GMT and took off for a private site in Stratford upon Avon and after lifting from there was flying to Falcon Air at Yeovilton where the maintenance is done and crashed on the hillside of Langley Farm near Winchcombe.
We dont know if it his son or another male onboard as yet but are all deeply saddened by the loss. Rick was a good pilot and learnt alongside myself at Coventry Helicopter Centre before it went into liquidation in 2001.
Our thoughts and blessings go out to Ricks wife and family that he has left behind and also of those onboard.