Skip to main content
On Air Now
Listen Now

3pm to 6pm

Listen Now

3pm to 7pm

Woman pilot dies after light aircraft crashes near Devon airfield

Emergency services were called to the scene near Dunkeswell Airfield

Share

Former aircraft hangers near Dunkeswell Aerodrome.
Former aircraft hangers near Dunkeswell Aerodrome. Picture: Alamy

By Alex Storey

A woman in her 40s has died after a light aircraft crashed in Devon.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The female pilot woman in her 40s was flying alone when the plane crashed near Dunkeswell Airfield on Friday morning.

Devon and Cornwall Police said emergency services attended the site, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch has been notified, the force confirmed.

Read more: 'Cheeky and gorgeous' boy, 13, who drowned in lake after 'paddling with friends' named locally

Read more: LIVE: June heat record broken again as temperature reaches 36.9C

Nobody else was on board at the time, and her next of kin had been informed.

The Dunkeswell Aerodrome is a former RAF site, originally built as a US naval base during World War II.

Superintendent Jo Arundale said: "We will be working closely with the Air Accident Investigation Branch to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash this morning

"“We recognise it is a very sad incident and we are appealing to the public not to speculate regarding the crash.

"Furthermore, we would like to ask anybody who may have relevant footage to get in touch with us and not to post it online.“Our thoughts are with the friends and family of the person involved."