Three die in plane crash

[moku]

Three people have died after a light aircraft carrying people preparing for a parachute jump crashed into fields.

Police alerted the Devon fire service at 6.06pm on Sunday after receiving reports from members of the public who saw the Cessna 206 single-engine plane come down between Beacon and Luppitt near Honiton, Devon.

A Fire Service spokeswoman said that two men and a woman died in the accident and another three men were seriously injured.

The injured were taken by air ambulance to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, the spokeswoman added.

She said that the aircraft had taken off earlier from Dunkeswell airfield in Devon.

The spokeswoman added: "They were up there for a parachute jump and all we knew when we were arriving at the scene was that the plane had contained five parachutists and a pilot.

"But we did not know if they had made the jump or not and now it appears that they had not."

The spokeswoman said that the ages or identities of the six people were not yet known.

She added that the Air Accidents Investigation branch had been informed of the crash.

-Another sad day in aviation.

[WHBM]

Appears to be Cessna 206 G-BGED, from which I made many a parachute jump in the 1990s, although not at Dunkeswell. Makes me think again about an aircraft I knew so well at the time.

Our thoughts are with those involved and their families, for whom an enjoyable Sunday activity has ended in tragedy.

[MadsDad]

Local news this morning was that unfortunately there are now 4 dead.

[speedbird_7e7]

Picture of G-BGED monhts before the crash.

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/airshow03/deltajets/gbged.htm

[strake]

As a retired skydiver and parachute instructor who has spent many hours in the back of a C206, I know the "extended" family who follow this sport will be caring for those who need it.

My heartfelt condolences to family and friends.

[TonyR]

I feel very sad about this accident. Having flown many hundreds of hours in C206s with skydivers I know how much of a bond is formed between this type of group.


My thoughts and prayers are with all involved and their families.

Tony

[MichaelJP59]

Anyone know what happened, was this a forced landing that went wrong?

I know one shouldn't speculate too much but I always feel that if there's any lesson to be learnt it's a shame to wait a year for the report to come out.

- Michael

[FNG]

Sorry Michael, but the way to learn lessons is to wait a year for the report to come out. Otherwise we are just speculating.

[kula]

I jumped out of this plane only recently. It was a very strange feeling seeing the pictures of it nose down in that field, made me feel quite sick.

I guess it must've had a problem after takeoff since during the training you are told that if there is a problem with the plane and you have enough height then you would all jump out. I guess they didn't have that luxury. I believe even the pilots wore chutes.
But this is still only speculation.

It is an absolute tradegy from a school with an excellent safety record.

[Fraudsquads]

Local eyewitnesses have reported that the aircraft sounded as if there were engine problems, also stating the aircraft was on the low side of normal when passing overhead. Seemingly attempting to make it back to Dunkeswell at the time of the accident.

A very tragic accident and I offer sympathies to all the relatives of those involved.

FS

[MichaelJP59]

Fair enough, we have to wait for the report.

On a related issue, I read up quite a few light aircraft accident reports recently and it was worrying how many engine failures seemed to be largely unexplained, but assumed induction icing. There then followed what seems to be a standard block of text about carb icing, with a recommendation that the CAA look into the whole issue.

Anyone know how that research is going and when it is expected to conclude? I try to follow all the recommendations re. carb heat in our Cessna 150/152s, but from the reports it seems that you can do all that and still get the problem!

- Michael