Named: Walsall Hero pilot steered clear of houses

Jan 3 2009 by Andy Richards, Birmingham Mail

Experienced pilot Alan Matthews was named tonight as one of the victims of a plane crash on a busy railway line which is now thought to have claimed the lives of three people.

Walsall man Mr Matthews’ wife Jenny confirmed the 59-year-old was piloting the light aircraft that crashed into the West Coast Mainline in Staffordshire at around noon today.

She said her husband had 19 years’ flying experience and that the family were still in shock over what had happened.
Police tonight said they believed three people had died in the crash that caused huge delays to rail passengers across the country.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said a pathologist is expected to confirm tomorrow if a third person was in the single-engine plane that came down in the village of Little Haywood in Staffordshire.

The aircraft hit power lines above the West Coast Mainline, leading to massive disruption for thousands of rail passengers travelling between London and north-west England or Glasgow.

British Transport Police confirmed that two people were killed.

The aircraft is believed to be a Piper Cherokee registered to Mr Matthews, from Walsall, West Midlands.

Neighbours today said they did not know him well, but knew of his love of flying.

One lady, who did not want to be named, said: “I only saw him to wave hello but I knew he liked to fly and he had a little plane.”

Mr Matthews is registered as company director of Sittles Farm Flying Club, near Lichfield in Staffordshire. It is believed this is where his aircraft was based.

Residents in Little Haywood described seeing the small white plane plough into the ground at a fork between two major railway lines.

Local resident Derek Higgott, 49, who lives in nearby Back Lane, said it plummeted to the ground “like a stunt plane”.

He said: “I was working in my garden. We’ve got a raised gazebo so I was up on the steps.

“I heard the plane, I looked up, and suddenly it just turned and went straight down like a stunt plane.

“There was a huge thud and black smoke. You could feel the vibration from it and a huge flock of birds all took off.”

Police, firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene but there was nothing they could do to help the occupants of the aircraft.