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Roundup: Pilot dies in plane crash at CarFest in NW England

Xinhua, August 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

The pilot of a display team airplane was killed on Saturday in a crash at CarFest motoring event in Cheshire, a county in north west England.

Kevin Whyman, 39, was flying a Folland Gnat aircraft that came down at Oulton Park where a car festival is being held. The jet is believed to have been taking part in an aerobatics display with another aircraft.

The Heritage Aircraft Trust (HAT), operator of the Gnat Display Team, confirmed the pilot's death and identity.

"Kevin was a Royal Air Force trained fast jet pilot whose enthusiasm for flying the Folland Gnat was infectious. He will be greatly missed by his family, the Team and many friends," said HAT in a statement.

"Kevin leaves a wife and young daughter," HAT added.

Chris Evans, the founder of CarFest, which raises money for Children In Need, gave a news conference saying the pilot had been killed in a "tragic accident".

"The event will continue on the advice of the three aviation authorities we are currently involved with as part of the ongoing investigation to what happened," said Evans.

"The police have advised us that the best thing, and the safest thing to do, is to carry on with the event - bearing in mind there are 10,000 children here. That's what we're going to do," Evans noted.

Witnesses captured the moments before the plane fell down.

"There were two aircraft in the sky doing a dual display. I thought one of them appeared to be a bit low. It was upside down when I saw it go behind some trees, then suddenly there was a huge smoke cloud and flames," a local media report quoted Mark Dowling, an eyewitness, as saying.

"There was a gasp from the crowd. People are really worried, hoping that the pilot managed to eject," said Dowling.

The event, a motoring and music festival, began Friday and is due to finish Sunday. Its website describes it as a "dream of cars, music, food and masses of family fun - a dream conjured up by Chris Evans and brought to life in Cheshire and Hampshire". Endit