Five killed in mid-air collision over Warwickshire, England

August 17, 2008 Five people have been killed when two light aircraft collided near to Coventry Airport in Warwickshire, England. One of the aircraft, a Cessna 402 carrying four people, crashed near Brandon Woods whilst the other, a smaller single engine aircraft with only the pilot on board crashed a mile away near to Coombe Abbey, Brinklow.

The crash occurred shortly after 11:30 BST this morning as both aircraft were returning to land at the airport.

The Cessna aircraft is owned by the RVL Group and was based at Coventry. All of those on-board were employed by the company and were carrying out survey work for a private agency.

Colin Dennis, managing director of RVL Group, said, "Of the four people on board the aircraft, there were two males and two females. Three of them were highly-experienced full commercial pilots. Two people were operating the flight, and the third pilot was assisting in the back with survey work, with a highly skilled survey engineer."

"It’s a very difficult time because we are a very small company, a family kind of company. It’s an absolute tragedy that they should have been killed while doing this routine work."

Spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, Murray MacGregor, said that the ambulance crews met "quite a scene of devastation". "Sadly there was nothing that could be done other than the grim task of confirming the deaths of the five people", he said.

Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Air Accident Investigation Branch have launched a joint investigation. The police have appealed for witnesses to contact them.