Pigeon collision causes plane to crash in Bedfordshire

A light aircraft lost power and ditched into hedging one mile south of Dunstable in Bedfordshire after colliding with a pigeon shortly after take off.
A light aircraft ditches into hedging after losing power after a pigeon strike in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Credit: Bedfordshire Fire Control

Investigators have found that a plane crashed into trees because a pigeon hit its propeller.

A Skyranger Swift aircraft was taking off from a large field about a mile south of Dunstable in Bedfordshire when the incident happened on 25 September.

The 56 year-old pilot immediately lost power and ditched the aircraft into hedging.

He was uninjured and able to escape the aircraft via a ladder.

The Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) heard that shortly after take off the pilot was on collision course with a heron but banked the aircraft to the left to avoid it.

However, after a pigeon hit the propeller and affected the output of the light aircraft the pilot, trying to avoid the tallest trees, landed on hedgerow surround the field.

The AAIB said the pilot's preparedness in the event of an engine failure helped him to "resolve the emergency with minimal damage and no injuries".

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