Young_TomO
Well-Known Member
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3191652/British-pilot-Chris-Wilson-39-killed-in-crash-after-crocodile-runs-amok-on-plane-in-Deocratic-Republic-of-Congo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... Congo.html</a>
A PLANE crash which killed a British pilot was caused by a CROCODILE running amok in the cabin.
Chris Wilson, 39, died with 19 others when terrified passengers fleeing the reptile bolted to the front of the small aircraft, making it flip.
A survivor of the crash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said the crocodile escaped from a traveller's large sports holdall.
Panicking passengers rushed towards the cockpit of the small turbo-prop aircraft, causing it to nosedive out of control.
It smashed into an empty house, killing first officer Chris, Belgian pilot Danny Philemotte, 62, and 18 of the 19 others aboard.
The lone survivor told investigators the croc escaped from a large sports bag in which the reptile had been hidden by a passenger who planned to sell it.
The creature lived through the crash but was later killed with a machete wielded by rescuers sifting through the wreckage.
Chris, of Shurdington, Gloucs, was helping to fly the Let L-410 plane from Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to a regional airport at Bandundu.
It crashed a few hundred metres from its destination.
Originally it was thought it had run out of fuel.
But a report by news organisation Jeune Afrique stated: "According to an inquiry and the testimony of the only survivor, the crash happened because of a panic sparked by the escape of a crocodile hidden in a sports bag."
The report said a terrified stewardess "hurried" towards the cockpit, followed by passengers. It added the plane was thrown off-balance "despite the desperate efforts of the pilot".
Chris, a former Territorial Army soldier trained in bomb disposal, is being mourned by a large family, including 78-year-old mum Jean, his identical twin Robert, brother Martyn and sisters Vivienne and Janet.
Jean said: "He loved flying and worked hard to fulfil his dream of becoming a pilot. He had three jobs at once just to pay for his training."
Daria Kudanowska, thought to be Chris's girlfriend, wrote on Facebook: "Now our fairytale is gone. Miss u so much xxx."
The Czech-built crash plane was operated by Filair - a firm owned by pilot Philemotte.
Chris's pal Roger Bailey said the tragic Brit had expressed concern about the safety of the aircraft he flew.
Roger, 48, added: "He told me they are blacklisted by the licensing authority."
A PLANE crash which killed a British pilot was caused by a CROCODILE running amok in the cabin.
Chris Wilson, 39, died with 19 others when terrified passengers fleeing the reptile bolted to the front of the small aircraft, making it flip.
A survivor of the crash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said the crocodile escaped from a traveller's large sports holdall.
Panicking passengers rushed towards the cockpit of the small turbo-prop aircraft, causing it to nosedive out of control.
It smashed into an empty house, killing first officer Chris, Belgian pilot Danny Philemotte, 62, and 18 of the 19 others aboard.
The lone survivor told investigators the croc escaped from a large sports bag in which the reptile had been hidden by a passenger who planned to sell it.
The creature lived through the crash but was later killed with a machete wielded by rescuers sifting through the wreckage.
Chris, of Shurdington, Gloucs, was helping to fly the Let L-410 plane from Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to a regional airport at Bandundu.
It crashed a few hundred metres from its destination.
Originally it was thought it had run out of fuel.
But a report by news organisation Jeune Afrique stated: "According to an inquiry and the testimony of the only survivor, the crash happened because of a panic sparked by the escape of a crocodile hidden in a sports bag."
The report said a terrified stewardess "hurried" towards the cockpit, followed by passengers. It added the plane was thrown off-balance "despite the desperate efforts of the pilot".
Chris, a former Territorial Army soldier trained in bomb disposal, is being mourned by a large family, including 78-year-old mum Jean, his identical twin Robert, brother Martyn and sisters Vivienne and Janet.
Jean said: "He loved flying and worked hard to fulfil his dream of becoming a pilot. He had three jobs at once just to pay for his training."
Daria Kudanowska, thought to be Chris's girlfriend, wrote on Facebook: "Now our fairytale is gone. Miss u so much xxx."
The Czech-built crash plane was operated by Filair - a firm owned by pilot Philemotte.
Chris's pal Roger Bailey said the tragic Brit had expressed concern about the safety of the aircraft he flew.
Roger, 48, added: "He told me they are blacklisted by the licensing authority."