6th August 1970

Pilot killed in private plane crash

Pilot Kenneth Desmond was killed when the Beagle 206 Series 2 he was flying from Jersey to Guernsey lost power in both engines, stalled, span and crashed into an outbuilding shortly after take-off. When the engines were examined by investigators picking through the wreckage, they could find no reason for the malfunction and loss of power.

The officer in control of the aerodrome had been watching the aircraft through binoculars as the first of its propellers put out a couple of puffs of smoke and stopped turning. The officer gave Desmond clearance to return to the runway and put down but, as the pilot turned, his other engine stopped and he radioed “I’ve got the other engine going, I’m going down”.