A pilot was killed yesterday after two gliders collided in mid-air and crashed to the ground in a devastating accident witnessed by dozens of people.
Shocked locals have said they were shocked by the death of the pilot after his glider crashed over a field in front of their homes and the wreckage landed just meters from a busy road.
The crash was witnessed by dozens of bystanders from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, around 3pm on Thursday 17 August.
Amanda Coombs, whose home is close to the crash site, said: ‘Our thoughts go out to the person who lost their life on our doorstep.
“But it could have been so much worse. He narrowly missed the houses and the main road, though he cut the roof off one house. That would have been unthinkable.’
Wreckage of one of the gliders involved in a mid-air collision over Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Police investigate the wreckage of the glider in which a pilot died
Eyewitness David Leach, who lives on the outskirts of Melton Mowbray, told MailOnline: ‘Four gliders were flying in a group over our house.
“We watched them for a few minutes as they flew just below cloud level.
Then one bumped into the other. It looked like the front of one cut off the back of the other.
“Then it immediately started to turn downwards. The second also came down, but a little slower.
“They came a long way down very quickly. It was shocking and disturbing to watch.’
A major incident was declared with emergency services still on the scene after yesterday afternoon’s “freak accident” in which householders heard “huge loud bangs” and someone saw part of a broken glider fly past his house.
The pilot of the second unpowered glider is said to have had a miraculous escape and survived the reported clipping of wings in mid-air.
Debris from the two single-seat craft is scattered over a half-mile radius on three scenes.
An onlooker said, “One of the gliders has completely obliterated. It would be a miracle if anyone survived.
They collided in mid-air. There were a few in the air at the time. One of the gliders looks good, but the other one stretched and was scattered across the field in several pieces.
It’s a shocking scene to say the least. They narrowly avoided the city.’
The main hub of one and the body of the piloted remain covered last night in an unused field on a new development adjacent to the A607 Leicester Road.
An onlooker said, “One of the gliders has completely obliterated. It would be a miracle if anyone survived’
A second glider with damage to its right wing lies abandoned in the middle of a field on the edge of Melton Mowbray
Half of the off-white wing rests in another spot in the grass with other dirt.
A shocked Ms Coombs, an HR director, told MailOnline: ‘We are truly shocked, saddened and sickened by what has happened on our doorstep. It looks like a freak accident.
“We sympathize with the family who lost a loved one and the emergency services treat the crime scene with great respect.
“It’s just outside our lounge window.”
Ms Coombs moved into her home five months ago, overlooking a field, which will be rewilded and landscaped, on the Roundhouse Park estate, with joint developers Ashberry Homes and Bellway.
She said: “I came home from work early because my dog was sick and emergency services were everywhere, and I was like ‘Oh my God’ what’s going on.
“The streets were closed, but the police let me through the barrier.
“We found that a glider had crashed in the field just outside the front door and the pilot had tragically died. You don’t expect that at the door.
“We heard that two gliders had crashed very high in the air, with one pilot surviving and the other, unfortunately, not.”
Her husband, chef Guy Coombs, said: “There is real empathy and sadness here for what happened and our thoughts go out to the victim’s family.”
Leicestershire Police, the county fire and rescue service, the East Midlands Ambulance Service and the air ambulance rushed to the scene after reports of the crash shortly after 3pm.
One householder, whose house faces the main crash site, said, “I was working at home when I heard a big bang, which I didn’t think about at first because it’s a new housing development with a lot of noise still going on.
“Then I heard people screaming and when I came out the door I saw the tail of the glider floating in the air. It crashed in a place other than the craft’s body and its two broken wings.’
Police, fire and ambulance crew were called to the residential area of Roundhouse Park, near Leicester Road, in Melton Mowbray at about 3pm yesterday
The young man, a light aircraft pilot, who chose not to be named, told MailOnline: ‘We think the two gliders were out for a joy ride and spinning.
“Somehow they clipped wings which damaged the craft with devastating effect.
“It is a great shock to be so close to my home. I can see the debris, and where the pilot fell, may he rest in peace.”
Single dad and tree surgeon Josh shared how he was barbecuing in his backyard when he suddenly heard “an unusual sound, a whistling sound, then a big bang.”
He explained, “I came out of my house and there were a lot of sirens going off and all the emergency services were on the estate.
“We were told that two gliders had clipped wings and crashed in different places, and one had died.
“It’s a terrible tragedy and everyone here is in a bit of shock.”
Josh, 23, father of a toddler daughter added: ‘The fatal accident happened on the field, just a few meters from the road and many houses. It could have been so much worse.
“The lawn is not being used, it is being developed, but if it were a park with children playing, the outcome could have been even more shocking.”
Mother-of-four Kirsty Williams recounted how one of the stricken gliders hit the roof of her house, admitting: ‘We had a lucky escape.’
She told MailOnline: ‘I was home with the kids in the afternoon and suddenly heard a really loud bang. My son screamed that something had hit the house and then collapsed in the field outside.
“It was so scary. The glider hit our antenna and damaged it, not the roof, but that’s nothing when you consider someone lost their life.
“It could have been worse, so we’re thankful for that.
“We feel sorry for the person who died outside our homes, and we can see all the rubble from our window.”
Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed it had also “deployed a field team to investigate the crime scene.”
A spokesman for the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘We received a mobilization notice at 3:03 pm for a report of a glider crash.
MP for Rutland and Melton Alicia Kearns said: ‘Very saddened to see gliders crashed in Melton today. My thoughts are with all the families and loved ones of those injured in the crash.
“I know everyone in our communities will be wishing everyone a full recovery and waiting for news. My thanks go to the emergency services involved in this heartbreaking accident.’
A spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: ‘We received a call shortly before 3pm yesterday reporting that a glider had crashed after being involved in a mid-air collision with a second glider.
The glider was found in a field in Alderman Way and the pilot was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
The second glider landed safely nearby. The pilot suffered minor injuries.
Officers were on scene and were assisted by colleagues from East Midlands Ambulance Service and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, who were also present.
“Leicestershire Police continue to support the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) which will lead the investigation into the incident.”