Tragedy as pilot dies in horror plane crash near Scots airport
A LIGHT aircraft pilot has died in a horror plane crash just two days before Christmas.
Stunned onlookers watched on in dread as the small craft made “strange manoeuvres” before plummeting to the ground shortly after taking off from Fife Airport.
Mercy crews raced to the tragedy in a field near the runway, but the 50-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family have been made aware and an air crash probe is underway.
No-one else was injured in the tragedy.
In the nearby Kinglassie village, a devastated local told the Scottish Sun: “There was a loud bang and two guys who had been painting the pavilion at the football pitch ran up to see what was going on.
“It’s just terrible, it took off from just over the hill at the airport, how frightening it would be to witness that.”
Another resident added: “It wasn’t far from the residential part, you can see where it landed and it’s just a street away from houses, it is just terrifying.”
The wreckage of the plane is clearly visible on the hill from the Main Street of Kinglassie and drone footage shared with the Scottish Sun shows a tarpaulin covering the site.
The plane had set off from Fife Airport, which sits around three miles west of Glenrothes and offers light aircraft travel and skydives. It’s around 30 miles north of Edinburgh.
The nearby Kinglassie Miners Welfare and Bowling Club was closed for the day and is being used as a support hub for emergency services.
A small number of police officers last night remained on site guarding an area around the crash spot.
Four miles away, one shocked Christmas shopper at busy Fife Central Retail Park on the outskirts of Kirkcaldy described seeing a small plane make “strange manoeuvres” before hurtling to the ground.
Another witness in Kirkcaldy - around ten minutes from the crash site - said they noticed something was going on with a light aircraft as it was turning and speeding up downwards.
Police teams were joined by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service who deployed three crews including a heavy rescue unit to the scene.
A force spokesperson said: “We received a report of a light aircraft having crashed near Fife Airport, Kinglassie, around 11.40am on Monday, 23 December, 2024.
“Officers attended and a 50-year-old man, the pilot, was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are aware.
“No-one else was injured.
“Emergency services remain at the scene and enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash are continuing. Please avoid the area.”
Meanwhile, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch confirmed a team was en-route to probe the crash.
A statement said: “An investigation has begun into an accident involving a light aircraft which occurred near Fife Airport on December 23, 2024.
“A team of inspectors are travelling to the accident site to make enquiries and gather evidence as part of the process of conducting a safety investigation.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson added: “We were alerted at 11.38am on Monday, 23 December, to an incident involving a light aircraft near Kinglassie, Fife.
“Operations Control mobilised two appliances and a heavy rescue unit to the scene to assist emergency services partners.
“Crews remain in attendance.”