Pilot and passengerescaped injury afterplane crash landed

According to a report in the East Antrim Times, the plane had developed engine trouble.

The pilot, Michael Kirk, from Ballymena, and a female passenger, had a narrow escape when the engine of the Grumman four-seater plane failed.

The drama occurred during a flight to take aerial photographs of farmhouses.

The report said that the plane got into difficulties when fuel tanks were being switched.

According to a spokesman for Carrickfergus RUC, the aircraft crashed into a field narrowly missing a high voltage electricity pylon.

He added: “The pilot and his passenger were only slightly injured. The man received small cuts to his hands and face and the woman was suffering from shock. The plane was extensively damaged.”

However, the pilot played down the incident saying: “It is the second forced landing which I have had to make in the last year. We were not hurt and I would not really call it a crash. We took off the wings to tow the aircraft away.”

There was no way we could have taken off again.”

Mr. Kirk indicated that his passenger was a flying instructor although he was a “very experienced” pilot.

The plane had been flying from Eglinton in County Londonderry when the collision occurred. Police continued to investigate the incident.