COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The pilot of a badly-damaged plane has been praised for avoiding a village and landing safely, after a mid-air crash in which a father and son died.



Police have named Michael Willis, 73, and son James Willis, 42, both from London, as those who died when their plane crashed in woodlands.

The two planes collided as 19 aircraft took part in the Schneider Trophy races from Bembridge Airport, Isle of Wight.

The other aircraft managed to land at the airfield on Saturday.

Investigators are looking into the collision.

The bodies of Michael Willis, of Green Lane, Stanmore, north London, and his son James, of The Dingle, Hillingdon, west London, are to be recovered later.

Their families have been informed and are receiving support.

They had been flying in a four-seater Mooney M20B, police said.

The two men in the other aircraft, the 32-year-old pilot from Ryton, Coventry, and the 55-year-old navigator from Iver, Buckinghamshire, were both taken to hospital and later released.

Experts from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch will sift through the wreckage to find clues to the cause of the collision.

An eyewitness, who did not want to be named, commended the pilot of the plane which managed to land.

"It was a remarkable piece of flying. He managed to belly land under control instead of coming down on Havenstreet village, a matter of only seconds at that speed."

Race organiser Mr Wassell, chairman of the Royal Aero Club Racing and Rally Association, organisers of the Schneider Trophy, said the crash happened at the end of the Merlin Trophy race, a precursor to Sunday's main Schneider Trophy, which has now been cancelled.

He told BBC News the planes were in a "handicapped air race" in which participants can overtake each other.

He added: "We've lost two friends and colleagues and everyone is feeling very shocked and numb.

"The occurrence [collision] happened shortly before the race was due to finish."

Insp Paul Saville, of Hampshire Police, urged anyone who has recovered parts of the aircraft, which may be spread over a wide area, to take them to Newport police station.