HEVENINGHAM HALL, England – A vintage plane crashed at Heveningham Hall near Halesworth, England over the summer, prompting emergency services to respond to the incident. The pilot was flying a Grumman FM2 Wildcat and the crash occurred in the grounds of the 18th century hall. The aircraft was scheduled to be part of the lineup of vintage planes performing for the public at the hall’s country fair.
The crash led to fire crews from Harleston, Princes Street, Ipswich, Framlingham, and Lowestoft South being called in to handle the aftermath. Despite sustaining serious injuries, the pilot was able to visit the Heveningham Hall Country Fair just a couple of days after being airlifted to Ipswich Hospital. Police had described the injuries as “serious” but not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. The pilot’s recovery was sufficient for him to attend the fair.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is currently conducting an investigation into the accident, with the findings to be published in the accident reports available on the AAIB website. Despite the crash, the country fair saw about 10,000 visitors over the weekend it was held. The popular weekend event also featured the Heveningham Concours, showcasing vintage cars on the terraces at Heveningham Hall.
The investigation into the accident is still ongoing, and the findings will be available on the AAIB website. Despite the crash, the country fair was well-attended, attracting about 10,000 visitors over the weekend it was held. No further information about the crash and its aftermath was reported.