Father critical and son, 11, seriously injured 'after loop-the-loop went horribly wrong' and their plane crashed to the ground
- - Light aircraft crashed near Canons Ashby House in Northamptonshire
- - Boy airlifted to Birmingham Children's and pilot taken to UH Coventry
- - Plane plummeted 100ft when pilot lost control of it at around 11:45am
By MARK DUELL
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An 11-year-old boy was fighting for his life today after being seriously injured when a light aircraft crashed in the grounds of an Elizabethan manor house while apparently attempting a loop-the-loop.
It came down near Canons Ashby House in Northamptonshire and the boy - a passenger - was airlifted to Birmingham Children’s Hospital while the pilot was taken to University Hospital Coventry.
The plane plummeted 100ft when the pilot, believed to be the boy’s father, lost control of it and crashed into the grounds of the Grade 1 listed National Trust property at around 11:45am.
Wreckage: Rescuers at the scene of a light aircraft crash where an 11-year-old boy was seriously injured. Police said he was a passenger in the plane which came down near Canons Ashby House in Northamptonshire
Emergency workers: The plane plummeted 100ft when the pilot, believed to be the boy¿s father, lost control of it and crashed into the grounds of the Grade 1 listed National Trust property at around 11:45am
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the De Havilland DH.60 Gipsy Moth attempting a loop-the-loop moments before the engine ‘cut out’ at the top of the climb.
Ben Nichols, 19, who lives at nearby Lodge Farm in the village, saw the plane spiral to the ground with sister Zara, 20.
‘We were working the sheep at the time,’ said Mr Nichols. ‘Then we saw this two-seater biplane, it was whirling around a bit, looked like it tried to do a loop. Then the engine cut out.
‘It spiralled down a bit, regained a bit of control and landed with a thud.’
Response: Eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane attempting a loop-the-loop moments before the engine 'cut out' at the top of the climb
Investigation: Canons Ashby House, which was forced to close for an hour while emergency crews attended the scene, used Twitter to reassure visitors
He added: ‘When I went down it looked like it had had a good landing, given the circumstances. The cockpit was a bit smashed up with one of the wings but not as bad as we first thought.’
'We saw this two-seater biplane, it was whirling around a bit, looked like it tried to do a loop. Then the engine cut out'
Ben Nichols, witness
Zara Nichols said the plane ‘hadn't left a mark where it landed so it must have gone straight’.
Mr Nichols said it had landed ‘on the flat’ just yards from a fishing lake and a line of trees, and not far from ridges and furrows in the land. ‘He obviously picked the right spot’.
He said it was not unusual to get planes flying over the area, which is not far from several airfields. The wreckage of the white and red plane has been loaded onto the back of a lorry to be taken away.
All OK: A spokesman for the National Trust property in Northamptonshire said the house was not damaged
Canons Ashby House, which was forced to close for an hour while emergency crews attended the scene, used Twitter to reassure visitors.
REMAINS OF A MEDIEVAL PRIORY
Canons Ashby House was the Dryden family's home since it was built using the remains of a medieval priory in the 16th century.
The National Trust has owned the property, which is famed for its Jacobean plasterwork and Elizabethan wall paintings, since 1981.
The house and gardens have survived largely unaltered since 1710 and admission is £7.90.
A spokesman said on the website: ‘Our thoughts are with those affected by the light aircraft crash today in the parkland.
'Nothing was damaged in the house or gardens.
‘Thankfully no visitors have been affected and the property is undamaged. Our thoughts go out to the injured and their families.’
A spokesman for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: ‘Both of the patients were taken to different hospitals via air ambulance.
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