Light Aircraft Crash-Lands Near Upminster Airfield
A man was rushed to hospital after a light aircraft crash-landed in a field near Upminster, East London. Emergency services scrambled to Aveley Road, just west of the M25, after reports of the incident flooded in around 1pm on Saturday.
Passenger Injured, Condition Unknown
The Metropolitan Police confirmed a male passenger was taken to hospital, though his condition remains unclear. Firefighters from Essex Fire Brigade and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service were also on the scene, attending to the crash site.
French-Made Jodel D.120 Found Upturned in Field
The crash involved a vintage French-built Jodel D.120, a two-seater leisure plane dating back to 1960. The aircraft was discovered upside down in Belhus Woods Country Park, near Damyns Hall Aerodrome. It’s still unclear whether the plane was arriving or departing when it went down.
“It was dead quiet. I saw the propellers weren’t moving and thought, ‘that’s trying to land’,” said eyewitness Alex Sarzi-Sartori to the Romford Recorder. “People rushed to help as fuel started gushing from the plane.”
Air Accidents Investigation Branch Launch Probe
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed it is launching a full investigation and deploying inspectors to the crash site.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson added: “Officers were called to Aveley Road, Upminster, at 1.08pm on Saturday following reports of a light aircraft crash. One male passenger was taken to hospital for treatment.”
Road Closure & Ongoing Inquiries
The road near Belhus Woods Country Park remains closed as authorities work to secure the area and collect evidence. This incident follows a recent glider emergency landing on a main road in Gloucestershire, raising fresh concerns about small aircraft safety across the UK.
