Welshpool airport boss victim of plane crash horror

An airport boss was one of two people killed after their plane crashed into the side of a mountain on the Shropshire/ Mid Wales border.

Experienced pilot Bob Jones – who set up and ran Mid Wales Airport at Welshpool – died in the wreckage of the crash yesterday.

Mr Jones, believed to be 60, was one of two people on board the seven-seater light aircraft which came down on the Long Mountain near Leighton, close to Welshpool, shortly after noon in perfect flying conditions.

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A massive rescue operation was launched involving police, fire and ambulance but both victims died at the scene of the crash.

The second victim, who has not been named, is believed to be a man. It is not known who was flying the Piper Navajo aircraft. The doomed plane was owned by businessman Kevin Curran, of Trelydan, near Welshpool.

He said: "I can confirm that Awyr Company, of which I am a director, owned the aircraft involved in the incident yesterday. It was a blue and white Navajo.

"All I can say is that the other person onboard the aircraft was a male and he was a very experienced pilot. He was not local to the area."

Air accident investigators were due to examine the wreckage today to determine exactly how the plane crashed, and a cordon around the site remained in place.

The alarm was raised by the airport after the twin-engine aircraft failed to return. The airport remained closed today.

Witnesses described how smoke could be seen billowing from an area of trees on the side of the mountain hours after the crash.

Mr Jones, who was also a farmer at Trehelig in Welshpool, was one of the founders of the airport which was built on his land in the early 1990s, and one of the main organisers of Welshpool Air Show.

Detective Chief Inspector Greg Williams, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: "Investigators and technical experts are currently at the scene and investigations will continue throughout today and into tomorrow."

Councillor Estelle Bleivas, Mayor of Welshpool, said: "We are all completely stunned by this tragedy. Mr Jones was a great man." Carlo Sidoli, owner of dessert company D Sidoli & Sons in Welshpool, frequently flies from the airport to business meetings.

"I fly out of the airport to places around the UK and Ireland. I'm very shocked by what happened. Flying conditions were perfect," he said.

Councillor John Morgan, one of the organisers of the Welshpool Air Show, said: "He was a true gentleman. He was a fantastic person to work with. I will miss him very much on a personal level.

"My heart goes out to his family at this very, very sad time."

Leave your tributes to Bob Jones in the comments below. Discussion of the incident will not be published.

See also:

• Two killed as plane crashes on mountain