Two seriously injured after light aircraft crash in Salford

The two men who were in the plane have been airlifted to Wythenshawe hospital with “impact injuries and burns”, while houses next to those hit were evacuated briefly. Neighbours said they heard a man inside the plane shouting.

Paul West, the head of clinical operations at the North West Air Ambulance, told Channel 4 News that one of the men, who is in his late 50s, had 70 per cent burns, and a 21-year-old who was also in the plane had 60 per cent burns. Mr West described the injuries as “very serious”.

Both men were conscious when the fire service arrived at the scene – one was quickly freed from the aircraft but the other had to be cut out.

Residents told Channel 4 News they have complained before about light aircraft in the area.

Picture above courtesy of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

Mr West said early reports suggested a crash alarm at nearby Barton City Airport, where the air ambulance is based, may have registered when the plane went off the radar. This meant they were able to respond quickly to the incident, which happened in the Peel Green area of Salford.

The air ambulance arrived on Newlands Avenue within five minutes of the crash, and both men were in hospital within an hour.

Mr West said: “As a charity, being able to assist in these incidents is crucial.”

Channel 4 News has been told that the two homes that were hit have suffered some structural damage. However, there was only one occupant in one of the houses at the time and he was uninjured.

The A57 was closed off for a number of hours after the incident.

Paul Duggan, from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service told Channel 4 News the aircraft was a “mangled wreckage, but still recognisable as a plane”.