Club distressed over crash tragedy

TRIBUTES were paid last night to a pilot killed when his light aircraft plunged to the ground as he took part in an aerobatic display.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Jun 2010, 23:29 BST
Updated 21st Jun 2010, 23:30 BST

Chris Penistone, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene after his single-seater aircraft came down in a field next to the River Aire between Castleford and Methley on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Penistone, an experienced professional pilot, was performing a manoeuvre when he is thought to have lost control of the plane before it crashed close to a boatyard.

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Mr Penistone was a member of Sherburn Aero Club. Fellow member Richard Maxted, said Mr Penistone joined the club as an instructor in 1993.

He said: "Mr Penistone will be incredibly missed. It is fair to say that everybody at the Aero Club is very distressed and our sympathies do extend to the family at this very stressful time.

"He was a qualified display pilot and has display authorisation, which means he has a permit from the Civil Aviation Authority to do aerobatic displays." Mr Maxted said he had performed the display before.

Members of the Sherburn Aero Club and the general public, looked on in horror as the plane crashed.

Related topics:Castleford