A pilot and two passengers were rushed to hospital after a plane over-shot a runway finishing in a ditch close to a major road. Miraculously, the three people on board were able to free themselves from the wreckage of the light aircraft before emergency services reached the scene.
The incident occurred at Cotswold Airport at about 10.30am today (August 4). The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it had started an investigation into the crash. The main A429 near Kemble was closed in both directions with diversions in operation.
Police confirmed three people had been taken to hospital as a precaution. No serious injuries or deaths were reported, according to WiltshireLive.
Wiltshire Specialist Ops tweeted at 12.48pm: "RPU are currently managing the scene of an injury air craft collision at Kemble airfield with @RWBassettPolice. The A429 is currently closed at the scene and will be for the foreseeable. Motorists to follow diversions."
Pictures from the scene showed showed the aircraft in the ditch close to the main road. A police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 10.30am today, we responded to reports of a light aircraft which appeared to have overshot the runway at Cotswold Airport, ending up in a ditch beside the A429. There were no reported deaths or serious injuries. The pilot and two passengers have been taken to hospital as a precaution.
"The Air Accident Investigation Branch has been informed. The road is likely to be closed for a number of hours to allow the removal of fuel and debris."
A Wiltshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson added that casualties had "self-rescued" prior to the fire service arrival.
Cotswold Airport is a private airport, near the village of Kemble in Gloucestershire. It was originally built as a Royal Air Force station and was known as RAF Kemble. The Red Arrows aerobatics team was based there until 1983.
It is also the operating base of Air Salvage International, described as Europe's leading aircraft decommissioning company. The airport has been used as a film location for a number of television programmes and series, including Top Gear.
