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07-29-2011, 02:34 PM
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Piper PA38 Tomahawk Crashes into Two House's As Engine Fails
In a remarkable turn of events, a light aircraft crashed between two semi-detached houses and erupted in flames, leaving neighbors in awe of the occupants' miraculous survival. The incident unfolded when the single-engine plane, carrying two men, one in his late 50s and the other aged 21, crash-landed with both occupants suffering extensive burns, likely resulting from an attempt to land the stricken plane on a road following engine failure. At approximately 12:20 pm, Greater Manchester Police received reports of a plane crash on Newlands Avenue in Peel Green, Salford. The aircraft, identified as a Piper PA38 Tomahawk, had departed from City Airport Manchester moments before, only covering a short distance before colliding with two homes on Newlands Avenue in Eccles, Salford. One of the properties sustained significant structural damage. Fortunately, a resident inside one of the houses at the moment of impact escaped injury and bravely assisted the police in extinguishing the blazing plane. Remarkably, aside from the occupants of the aircraft, who were operated by Ravenair Flying School, no other injuries were reported. A spokesperson for the North West Ambulance Service provided information on the victims, stating, "There were two patients on board who both suffered burns. A man in his late 50s had 70 percent burns, and a man aged 21 had 60 percent burns. Both were taken by the North West Air Ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital." Speaking from the scene, station commander Paul Duggan of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service recounted how neighbors rushed to aid the pilot and passenger. The aircraft had caught fire, prompting several individuals, including an occupant of one of the houses, two passers-by, and a police officer, to attempt to extinguish the flames with water. Although they managed to control the fire, the occupants of the aircraft suffered burns, and one of them had to be extracted from the wreckage. Structural engineers from Salford Council subsequently cordoned off the area to assess the damage to the two affected buildings and arrange temporary accommodation for the affected families. Neighbors anxiously awaited word on when it would be safe to return to their homes. Describing the shocking moment, Mark Frimston, a nearby resident, said, "I heard a bang, like a gas explosion. It was as if a bomb went off - my baby started crying because it scared him." Frimston added that while microlights flying low over the houses toward Barton airfield were not uncommon, accidents had occurred previously, indicating a need for a review of flight paths. Vivian Fletcher, another neighbor, recounted her astonishment upon hearing the crash. "I had just returned from the shops and was putting my shopping away when I heard a big bang," she said. "The plane came down on two houses, a woman lives in one of them, and her daughter lived next door. Everyone is still in a state of shock, I think. Everyone was just standing around completely shocked." John Kavanagh, who witnessed the explosion, stated, "It felt like everything shook - the houses and cars - and then smoke rose up high into the sky. I thought it was a gas explosion. The people that survived this have had a miracle escape." City Airport Ltd confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of Transport's Air Accident Investigation Branch had been notified of the incident. Investigations are now underway by both the emergency services and the AAIB. The A57 Liverpool Road, initially closed in both directions, has since reopened with traffic controls in place. |