A PILOT watched in horror as his light aircraft took off on its own, did a loop and smashed into the ground.
The 70-year-old pilot was preparing to set off in his single-seater plane at Barton airfield, near Eccles, when the engine cut out.
He clambered out of the cockpit and went round to the front to start the propeller - only to hear the aircraft suddenly splutter back into life and then begin to race along the grass airfield.
The pilot desperately tried to stop the plane by grabbing a wing strut but it carried on its way, then took off without anyone on board.
Witnesses described seeing the plane bank to the right before entering into a loop and crashing upside down to earth.
Details of the incident emerged in a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
The unnamed pilot was preparing for a flight over Manchester in September. Investigators said that the incident could have been prevented if chocks had been placed in front of the aircraft wheels.
Loop-the-loop
They described the pensioner's efforts to stop the aircraft - a Luton Minor - as it raced away down the airfield by grabbing a wing strut.
The report said: "He attempted to continue to turn the aircraft to the left in order to point it at the wooded area on the south-west side of the airfield."
The report says the pilot, who has had more than 400 hours' flying experience, believed his left leg may have nudged open the throttle as he got out of the cockpit.
He suffered minor injuries. The plane's propeller, engine and fuselage were severely damaged.
A spokesman for Barton airfield said it would be inappropriate to comment because the matter was being handled by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
Luton Minors are single-seat, wood and fabric planes, originally designed in the 1930s. The one that crashed at Barton was built in 1971.
According to a database maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority, the aircraft involved is registered to Stephen Smith, of Lancaster.
Mr Smith is not believed to be the pilot involved in the incident but he declined to comment to the M.E.N..
Comments
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Look on the bright side. it could have been so much worse it could have been a 747 with me in it.
About time this place was shut down - this proves safety standards are poor - why should weekend pilots be allowed to put the public at risk?
I AM EX. SALFORD.I HAVE ALLWAYS THOUGHT THAT THIS AIRPORT IS IN A DANGEROUS PLACE.PLANES COME IN VERY LOW OVER THE BUST A 57
I dunno - old people causing mayhem on the roads are now moving into the skies above....is anyone safe any longer?
How can the airport be more dangerous when countless people are killed each year on the A57 road that passes it. Barton Airport happens to be highly regarded by the Safety Authorities, and its high safety record has improved immensley over recent years.
what is it with 70year olds and round-a-bouts??????
RE: low planes over the A57.....Yes, shock horro, planes do come in low over Barton...that's because they're LANDING (it's a procedure that involves getting the aircraft back on the ground). In order to this, you may have noticed when going on your holidays that the plane does get quite low when transitioning between the sky and the ground. What next...cars banned for being too close to pavements? Freak accident (a little Frank Spencer like though admittedly) nothing else. It doesn't make all light aeroplanes unsafe or all pilots incompetent..you have any idea of the skill levels involved in piloting and aeroplane? Thought not.
I MUST REPLY TO COMMENTS FROM MKE FROM WORSLEY. BARTON AIRPORT WAS THE FIRST AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY. AND HAS TRAINED THOUSANDS OF PILOTS SINCE THE WAR, AND MANY OF THESE WILL OF TAKEN COUNTLESS PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. BUT WHEN ONE MSTAKE IS MADE ITS FOR ALL TOO SEE. BUT REST ASSURRED TODAY WITH LEGISLATON AND LITIGATION SAFTEY IS PARAMOUNT.
I dunno, Why do they always make these things out to be worse than they actually are? I believe it didnt fly for more than a few feet before it hit the deck so not much chane of it hitting the ''busy A57''
As to aeroplanes getting close to the ''ground'' when landing well how else do you propose that they land?
'Weekend pilots putting the public at risk'???? You've got to be kidding. Since this event came to light, how many auto accidents have occurred as a result of "Sunday Drivers" taking to the highways? How many auto accidents have been caused by drivers yapping away on their mobiles? You're far more likely to have been hit by a CAR watching that airplane do its solo loop, than by the airplane itself.
A car crashed on the M60 this morning, shall we close that too???
OK,LETS GET IT RIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE, THE MACHINE GROUNDLOOPED. NOTHING SPECTACULAR, QUITE BORING REALLY. IT DID NOT FLY OFF ANYWHERE.
MICHAEL
I'm worried - Ace Riley hasn't made a comment...!
Mark, Eccles states that "countless" people are killed each year on the A57 which runs past the airport. In fact there have been 2 fatalities in that area in the last 5 years. I've checked the stats. That's 0.4 per year. Hardly countless. But I fully support the point you were making.
Roadpeace - and at least 1 of those was a TWOC (Taken Without Owners Consent) who killed no-one but himself losing control & hitting a lamp-post....hardly a dangerous road at all really!
Allen and Dave thanks for telling me those planes have to fly low to land as if i'm an idiot. The question is why they have to do it so close to Manchester go to the countryside where its not near homes. The planes are very noisy to I bet they dont have silencers.
Mike from worsley, you seem to misunderstand the whole point, this accident was a freak accident, no different to you leaving your handbreak off and hitting the car behind, no member of the public has been killed or even injured so why is it dangerous?? may i remind you of the small aircraft that operate over barton, very small in comparison with the likes of 747s etc at Manchester EGCC Ringway, air crashes are a rarity, unlike car crashes. You say WEEKEND PILOTS........what a ridiculous thing to say.....it takes a minimum of 45 hours to obtain a Pilots License in this country, and you are checked on proficiency every five or so years, when was the last time you retook your driving test?? you wont of done because your not obliged to. there are many more idiots on the road than in the air belive me.
Silly Man!