A tragic Essex plane crash has taken a darker turn with reports that the pilot left a suicide note. The pilot flew a Beagle B121 Pup aircraft straight into a reservoir near Chelmsford on Sunday afternoon, prompting a “serious incident” investigation.
Disturbing Clues at Pilot’s Home
Police uncovered notes at the pilot’s home suggesting he planned to take his own life, The identity of the man has not been released.
Meanwhile, locals have left flowers by the fence of Hanningfield Reservoir’s nature reserve, which remains closed as officers continue their inquiry.
Crash Details and Ongoing Investigation
- The crash occurred just after 2pm near Chelmsford’s popular beauty spot.
- The aircraft, a 1970 Beagle B121 Pup registered as G-AZDG, took off from North Weald Airfield at 11:54am, heading for London Southend Airport.
- Flight tracking data shows the plane ended its journey submerged in the reservoir at 2:03pm.
- Police have yet to confirm the number of onboard or any casualties.
Essex Police Chief Superintendent Waheed Khan said: “We are still in the early stages of our investigation and are working closely with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) to establish what has happened.”
Nature Reserve Shutdown and Official Response
Essex Wildlife Trust confirmed the Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park remains closed. They stated:
“We are unable to comment further, as this is a police and emergency services matter. We are doing all that we can to support them.”
The AAIB has deployed a multidisciplinary team to probe the crash site.
Both Southend Airport and North Weald Airfield declined to comment. Epping Forest District Council, which owns North Weald Airfield, said the investigation is entirely police-led.
Stay tuned for updates as the story unfolds.
