Location: 27 nm west-north-west of Alderney
Date of occurrence: 12 November 2011
Category: General Aviation - Fixed Wing
Summary: The aircraft suffered a loss of electrical power during a day crossing of the English Channel to Alderney. The pilot became uncertain of his position and elected to ditch the aircraft near to a commercial surface vessel. The ditching was successful and the passenger escaped from the aircraft and was subsequently rescued. However, the pilot was unable to escape from the aircraft before it sank.
http://www.aaib.gov.uk
RESCUERS called off a search for the 79-year-old pilot of a light aircraft which crashed into the sea, as his wife was released from hospital following her escape from the plane.
The woman, whom police had not named, had been on board the single-engine private plane on Saturday afternoon when it ditched into the English Channel 25 miles off Guernsey.
She was with one other person – thought to be her husband – and a search was begun for him. The plane was due to land on Alderney after returning from the UK’s south coast.
A Russian merchant vessel found the woman on a life-raft and winched her to safety before a helicopter took her to hospital.
A spokesman for Guernsey Police said: “There is not much to update other than to say the lady who was rescued has been released from hospital and has gone home with her daughter.”
Mark Blaver-Mann, pictured with his wife Lindsey
A millionaire businessman was feared dead last night after the light plane he was piloting crashed in the English Channel.
Ian Dickinson, 79, sank beneath the waves despite his wife Ann-Marie’s efforts to pull him from the wreckage.
Mrs Dickinson, also 79, survived after being plucked from the sea by a passing ship. Last night she was released from hospital after being treated for hypothermia.
In a separate tragedy, a businessman and his friend died when their helicopter plummeted to the ground in a ball of flames on Majorca.
Mark Blaver-Mann and Alistair Evans, both 53, had been flying in what were described as ‘perfect’ conditions.
Mr and Mrs Dickinson were travelling home to Alderney in the Channel Islands from an airfield in Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, when their hired single-engined Piper Archer plane crashed at 3.50pm on Saturday.
The two-seater plane capsized after ditching in water 25 miles off the coast of Guernsey.
Christelle Haar, from the Maritime Prefecture in Cherbourg, France, which helped with the rescue operation, said Mrs Dickinson tried to get her husband out of the cockpit.
But she added: ‘She had to leave her husband and get out of the plane and save herself. She was very lucky. She was only a few minutes in the water before she was picked up by a passing Russian cargo ship.
‘There was no sign of her husband or the plane which had sunk.
‘She did not suffer any injuries but was suffering from shock. She was airlifted to Cherbourg and treated in hospital for hypothermia.’
Miss Haar said that the cause of the crash was being investigated by French police. The French authorities called off the search yesterday.
Crash: The Ministry of Defence confirmed the private plane ditched into the English Channel 25 miles north west off the coast of Guernsey
Crash: The Ministry of Defence confirmed the private plane ditched into the English Channel 25 miles north-west off the coast of Guernsey
The couple, who have three grown-up children, are originally from Winsford, Cheshire, where Mr Dickinson was the director of several property companies which built family homes.
Norman Howson, 64, of Bolton, a former director of one of Mr Dickinson’s companies, described him as ‘a charming gentleman’. ‘He was a lovely chap to work for,’ he said. ‘He used to commute to Cheshire from Alderney two or three times a week.
‘He was very active, always going to the gym, and did not look his age.’
The Ministry of Defence said the French authorities took the lead in the rescue mission as the incident occurred in their territorial waters.
Mr Blaver-Mann’s helicopter had been in a hangar at Bournemouth International Airport for most of the summer before being flown to Majorca in the last month.
Sebastian Xamena, who witnessed the accident on Saturday, said: ‘He was flying back and forth in the area as if he wanted to land.
Search: HMS Tyne has been drafted in to search for the aircraft
Search: HMS Tyne (pictured) has been drafted in to search for the aircraft
‘He was flying very low, very close to the pine trees, and suddenly it started to spin round, then it fell. There was a huge explosion and we saw a massive plume of smoke.’
Mr Blaver-Mann, a father of two from Poole, Dorset, used to run the company Powermann, which specialises in high voltage projects and maintenance.
He sold it several years ago and had since devoted more time to his hobbies, which included yachting, flying and touring in a large, U.S.-style camper van.
Mr Evans ran two upmarket restaurants in Dorset.
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A British pensioner is missing after the tourist plane he and his wife were travelling in crashed into the English Channel north east of Guernsey.
She was rescued by helicopter and taken to hospital in Cherbourg suffering from shock, while the search for her 79-year-old husband continued.
The pair are understood to have been the only passengers in the light aircraft.
Two other helicopters, a plane and several rescue boats including offshore patrol vessel HMS Tyne scoured the ocean for hours after the accident.
But a Guernsey Coastguard spokesman said aircraft were no longer being used in the search.
"The nature of the rescue is now marine-based as the helicopters have since been stood down," he said.
"Also taking part in the search are lifeboats from Alderney and Normandy - with a large tug boat named the Abeille Liberte also deployed."
The 80-year-old woman rescued was found on a life raft by Russian merchant ship,the Jork Rider, which responded to a mayday call.
A fishing boat found wreckage believed to be from around the plane's wheel and soon after the woman was discovered.
A private plane has crashed into the English Channel just off the coast of Guernsey.
A woman from the plane has been airlifted to Cherbourg hospital, in France, while the search continues for the other person - believed to be her husband.
Guernsey Coastguard said the woman was found on a liferaft by a Russian merchant ship, the Jork Rider, which responded to a mayday call.
A coastguard spokesman said: 'The nature of the rescue is now marine-based as the helicopters have since been stood down.'
Also taking part in the search are lifeboats from Alderney and Normandy - with a large tug boat named the Abeille Liberte also deployed.
The Ministry of Defence said HMS Tyne, a river class offshore patrol vessel, is also being used because of its night vision capabilities.
A spokesman said: 'HMS Tyne has been diverted from duties in UK waters to assist with the French-led operation to search for the light aircraft.'
Colin La Ray, director of Guernsey Airport, said two people were on board the aircraft which came down 25 miles off the coast of the Channel Isle this afternoon.
He said: 'Shortly before 3.50pm a single engined private aircraft with two persons on board ditched into the sea -25 miles north west off the coast of Guernsey.
'Emergency crews called to the scene included the Channel Islands Search and Rescue Helicopter.
'The aircraft was based in Alderney, and was en route from the south coast of the UK.'
Mr La Ray said that as the plane had come down in international waters, French coastguards were coordinating the search and rescue efforts to locate 'the casualties'.
He said he did not have any information on where the plane had taken off from and whether the people on board had been found.
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A private plane carrying two people from Alderney has ditched into the English Channel, 25 miles north west of Guernsey.
One person has been airlifted to Cherbourg hospital, in France, while the search continues for the other.
Guernsey Coastguard said the person was found on a life-raft by a Russian merchant ship, the Jork Rider, which responded to a mayday call.
The Royal Navy's HMS Tyne is assisting the French coastguard in the search.
The aircraft was en route from Lee on Solent, in the UK, to Alderney when the incident happened at about 15:50 GMT.
The aircraft belongs to Alderney Flying Training Club.
Lifeboats from Guernsey, Alderney and Cap de la Hague, French Coastguard helicopters and Channel Islands Air Search are involved in the search operation.
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