Plane crashes into road in Kingswinford - Pilot escapes with minor injuries

South Staffs Police said they responded to a "light aircraft colliding with the Kidderminster Road A449 in Kingswinford at 2:20pm."

The incident appears to have occurred on Doctors Lane. That road was still closed at both ends at 17:45 but the A449 was open to traffic.

Police were, however, urging people to avoid the area, confirming that "officers have closed part of the road whilst the Civil Aviation Authority lead the investigation"

The pilot escaped with minor injuries and no one else was involved, according to officers.

The Express & Star understands that bystanders stopped at the scene and helped the pilot from the aircraft, which purportedly landed in a field before hitting a fence and flipping onto its roof on Doctors Lane.

A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport said: "An accident involving a light aircraft at Kingswinford, was reported to the AAIB this afternoon.

"An investigation has been launched and we have begun making enquiries."

Nearby residents spoke of their shock after the crash

Matthew Cook, who lives near to the scene of the accident in Ashwood, said he was out on a run just minutes before the crash and had spotted a plane flying very low nearby.

"I went out on a 5km run around 2.10pm on the bridleway close to the A449 and as I was running near Hickory's I saw a small plane almost touching the tree tops. I thought it looked really low, but it didn't appear to be in any distress so I presumed it must have been on a test," said the 37-year-old quantity surveyor.

"On my return I saw the air ambulance was up nearby and by the time I got home I saw all the flashing lights in the lane and various emergency services were there, including police and ambulance. Doctors Lane is a very busy junction with the A449 so I initially thought it was a car accident, but then we found out a plane had crashed.

"I guess the pilot must have been looking for somewhere safe to land away from the A449 which is always busy. Doctors Lane is obviously quieter that the A449 but the lane can get busy and is also popular with cyclists, runners and walkers. It's amazing no one else was hurt. It sounds like he's lucky to escape with minor injuries," added Matthew.

Another neighbour Chanel Smith, 23, said she said saw several police cars and ambulances head down the lane this afternoon.

"It's a nasty junction, so I did think there must have been a car crash. I couldn't believe it when I found out it was a light aircraft that had come down in the lane. We didn't hear any noise from the accident, but did hear the air ambulance and the emergency services," she said.

Eyewitness Sharni Holloway told Express & Star: "Me and my family were playing football golf in Kingswinford when we saw the small plane overhead, we noticed how shaky it was and how it kept dipping left and right, then declining.

"My other half said something didn’t look right.

"About 5 minutes later we heard sirens and an air ambulance overhead, that when I thought the plane had crashed - which was later confirmed on social media. - we sincerely hope everyone involved is okay."