A two-seater Jodel D120 plane smashed down in Belhus Woods Country Park on September 7, 2024. The pilot suffered serious injuries but survived the dramatic crash.
‘Mayday’ Call Heard Before Crash
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has released its report revealing the chilling final moments. The pilot took off from Damyns Hall Aerodrome after a morning flight from Farthing Corner in Kent.
Soon after departing runway 21, the pilot sent a desperate “mayday” radio call, reporting engine trouble. The aircraft plunged into a wooded field about a kilometre from the airfield.
Plane Spiralled Out of Control
Evidence suggests the plane entered a tightening left turn — possibly spinning — before crashing. Starting from 900 feet, it descended rapidly until control was lost.
Investigators confirmed the aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash.
Eyewitness Describes Horrifying Scene
Alex Sarzi-Sartori, at a nearby archery club, spotted the struggling plane heading straight their way. He said the propeller wasn’t turning and the plane was eerily quiet.
“It was going away from us, then turned back as if aiming to land in a field,” he told the Romford Recorder. “When I got closer, the propeller was pinned to the pilot’s seat. Fuel was gushing out everywhere – we feared it would go up in flames.”
Cause of Engine Failure Remains a Mystery
The 1960-built aircraft was owned by the pilot since 1996 and had a valid permit until March 2025. Investigators recovered and inspected the engine but found no clear cause for the reported failure.
The pilot remains hospitalised and has no memory of the flight or preceding days. Without any black box or recordings, the AAIB concluded it’s impossible to determine exactly what went wrong.
“With no pilot recall, no data recorders, and no mechanical findings, the cause of the accident cannot be established,” the report states.
