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Inquiry follows fatal plane crash Inquiry follows fatal plane crash
(20 minutes later)
Air accident investigators are on their way to the scene of a light aircraft crash in County Down which killed three men. Air accident investigators are on their way to the scene of a plane crash in County Down which killed three men.
The plane crashed in a field off the Belmont Road area at about 2100 BST on Friday. The light aircraft crashed in a field, close to a private airstrip in the Belmont Road area, at about 2100 BST on Friday.
It burst into flames on contact with the ground, killing the 53-year-old pilot and two passengers, both 24. It burst into flames killing the 53-year-old pilot, Hugh McKnight from Annalong, and two passengers, both 24.
It is understood they had travelled from the Isle of Man. Local people have said it was misty at the time.It is understood they had travelled from the Isle of Man. Local people have said it was misty at the time.
It is the second air crash in the area in a fortnight. Farmers who live nearby rushed to the scene. They said wreckage from the small plane was scattered across the field, but there was nothing they could do for the occupants.
In the previous one, two men survived. John Denvir from the Fire and Rescue Service said the plane had crashed in a remote location.
Fire Officer John Denvir said the plane came down in a remote area
"We, unfortunately, found a light aircraft which had come down short of the runway here and crashed into a field," he said.
"There were three people on board and, unfortunately, those three people were fatalities at the scene."
It is the second air crash in the area in a fortnight. In the previous incident, two men survived.
Local councillor Henry Reilly said there were two airstrips within a mile of each other.
"There are so many people involved in light aircraft flying now and it's generally a safe occupation," he said.
"Within the last year we have had three crashes within half a mile of where I'm standing so it obviously has its hazards. This has been particularly bad."