Somerset plane crash witness acts to keep drivers safe
- By Clara Bullock
- BBC News
24 August 2023
Image source, Robin Wilmott
A man who was first on the scene of a plane crash blocked the road with his van to keep other drivers safe.
The plane – whose pilot escaped serious injury – struck power lines that came down across the A36 near Farleigh Hungerford.
“I heard a loud noise… and saw a plane that was surprisingly low down,” Mr Wilmott said.
“It landed upside down and seeing that was really strange.”
Image source, Robin Wilmott
Mr Wilmott immediately stopped his van and blocked the road to make sure other vehicles would not hit the power lines, before heading to the crash site.
“I didn’t know what I was going to find, it could be horrific,” he said.
“But I found the pilot already on the ground. I spoke to him and he said he was fine.”
Image source, Robin Wilmott
He said he saw several small fires break out across the field.
Mr Wilmott, who works for Tesco, called emergency services. He said more vehicles arrived shortly afterwards and one of the occupants used a portable extinguisher to put out most of one fire, while others stamped out the rest.
“Once I’d finished my call and checked all was in hand, I left the scene to continue my job,” he said.
Avon and Somerset Police, Wiltshire Police, South Western Ambulance Service and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue attended the scene.
Nobody is thought to have suffered serious injury.
