Elderly British glider ‘Little Mike’ dies in Pyrenees crash
A 75-year-old British man died in a gliding accident in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Spain.
Mike Evans, affectionately nicknamed “Little Mike” because of his height, was injured after coming off the runway and hitting trees as he landed at the Santa Cilia aerodrome near the northern Spanish city of Jaca.
Photos of the accident scene showed the damaged glider in undergrowth near the runway with its left wing against a fallen tree. Police tape had been put up around the fixed-wing aircraft.
An unnamed acquaintance quoted in a local paper said: “We saw him coming in to land from the aerodrome. Perhaps he was going a little fast and high but we’ll have to wait to see what the investigation says.
“We’ve known him a long time. He was a chef at a very important flying club in the south of London.
“He’s spent up to four months of the year here at times because of the passion he had for flying.”
Saturday’s accident was the first in the province of Huelva in which Jaca is located.
Santa Cilia aerodrome is regarded as one of the best locations in Spain for gliding, with the thermals and air currents in the area making it a reference point for both amateurs and professionals.
As a result of its position at the foothills of the Pyrenean range[1], it is possible to enjoy a pleasure flight over the spectacular mountains.
The accident scene with the damaged glider in undergrowth
The aerodrome hosted the Spanish National Gliding Championships in 2010 and is visited annually by hundreds of glider pilots from all over Europe.
Emergency services received an alert around 4pm on Saturday saying Evans was conscious and complaining of neck pain.
Local reports said he was alive for about 40 minutes after the accident but was pronounced dead at the scene after going into cardiac arrest.
Luis Ferreira, the aerodrome director, who knew Evans well through the Nimbus Aeroclub based there, confirmed on Sunday that witnesses were with him as he passed away and said everyone at the club was devastated.
The club said in a Facebook tribute: “So long Mike. A pleasure having known you” followed by the words “Feeling terrible” alongside a crying emoticon.
A Spanish friend said by way of tribute: “Dear Mike. Twenty-five years ago you decided the Santa Cilia Aerodrome was the best place to exercise your passion for gliding and fly over the Pyrenees.
“From then on you dreamed about the date you’d planned for your arrival every year, until that fateful September 9 2023.”
Several others posted Rest in Peace messages including the owner of a local restaurant Evans used to frequent.
Locals in the Jaca area said he was a member of the Lasham Gliding Society at Lasham Airfield in Alton, Hampshire, which has been described as one of the largest gliding clubs in the world.
Evans is said to have been a regular at the Spanish aerodrome since 1999.
An investigation into the accident is now underway.
References
- ^ the foothills of the Pyrenean range (www.telegraph.co.uk)