'Truly great' Bedfordshire man named as pilot in fatal Duxford aircraft crash

Credit: Karen Riggs Simon Riggs, who died in a light aircraft crash at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire.
Simon Riggs, who had recently retired, died after crashing his aircraft at Duxford on Tuesday. Credit: Karen Riggs

A pilot who died in an aircraft crash at a war museum has been described as a "much loved husband, father and friend".

Simon Riggs died when his plane crashed at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency services and air ambulance crews were called to the site - home to the Imperial War Museum (IWM) - at about 1.40pm, but the pilot in his 50s was pronounced dead at the scene.

No one else was on board the privately-owned General Aviation Cirrus SR22, said the Imperial War Museum.

Mr Riggs, from Ampthill in Bedfordshire, was a recently retired software developer and database manager who founded the data server solution company 2ndQuadrant.

On Wednesday his stepson Sam Holdstock-Marshall paid tribute and said: "It is with a heavy heart that I’m sharing this news. Yesterday afternoon Simon Riggs passed away. A much loved husband, father and friend.

"His greatest work was the friendships that he created. The 2Q’ers will know that you were an extension of his family, and held a place in his heart.

"Having recently stepped down from working life, Simon continued to live his life to the fullest. He will be greatly missed.

"He was a truly great man who has had such a positive impact on so many lives.

"I ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this time."

The aftermath of the Duxford Airfield crash in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Riggs' former colleagues also paid tribute to him.

Kevin Dallas, chief executive at EnterpriseDB, said: "Many of our colleagues who knew Simon and had the privilege of working with him continue to look up to him as a mentor and as a dear friend.

"His legacy will continue to inspire us as we carry forward his vision and contributions to the PostgreSQL [business] community. In this time of profound sorrow, we honour Simon's memory. Our thoughts and prayers are with Simon's family."

Mr Riggs' aircraft had circled the airfield three times, performing "touch-and-goes" - a standard procedure in which an aircraft lands on the runway and then proceeds to take off again without stopping.

Eyewitnesses said Mr Riggs had then tried to land the aircraft twice and had lost speed, but attempted to take off again before crashing.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch said it was investigating the accident.

IWM Duxford said it would remain closed to visitors on Wednesday and Thursday, but was expected to reopen on Friday.

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