The pilot of a light aircraft was seriously injured when the aircraft was damaged in a crash during an aviation display at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome in Maldon, Essex, organisers and police said.
Essex Police confirmed one person was injured in the incident, which occurred shortly before 2.25pm on Sunday. The aerodrome said the injured pilot had been taken to a London hospital. The site was closed to the public and the air show was halted.
Display, damage and immediate response
The aircraft involved was part of a display by the aerodrome’s Turbulent team. The venue, which had promoted the event as a “festival of aviation” to raise funds for its First World War military aviation museum, said one of the aircraft was damaged and that the show was stopped following the incident. The festival had been advertised as sold out on the aerodrome’s website.
“little more than a flying motorbike”
The Turbulent team’s website describes the single-seat French-designed Druine Turbulent — believed to have been first flown in 1953 — in those words and notes the aircraft weighs about 350lbs empty. The planned display at Stow Maries had involved the Turbulent pilots chasing balloons and dropping flour bombs from their light aircraft.
Heritage site and public safety
Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome houses what the site describes as the largest intact group of Royal Flying Corps (RFC) buildings from the First World War and has been highlighted for its role in Britain’s air defence during the first bombing raids. The aerodrome’s dual role as a heritage site and active event venue will put additional focus on the circumstances of the crash and any safety review that follows.
Organisers posted on Facebook to say the pilot had been taken to hospital; no further details about the nature of the injuries have been released publicly. Essex Police and the aerodrome did not give additional information about any other people being harmed.
Key facts
- Time: Shortly before 2.25pm on Sunday
- Location: Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, Maldon, Essex
- Event: Festival of aviation / Turbulent team display (sold out)
- Casualties: One seriously injured pilot taken to a London hospital
- Aftermath: Air show halted and site closed to the public
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Aircraft type | Druine Turbulent (French-designed, c.1953) |
| Aircraft weight | About 350lbs empty |
| Purpose of event | Fundraiser for First World War military aviation museum |
What happens next
At this stage, formal investigations that typically follow aircraft accidents — including inquiries by the Civil Aviation Authority and, depending on circumstances, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) — may be expected. Neither the aerodrome nor Essex Police has yet announced details of any such probes. The preservation trust that runs the site will also be under pressure to explain whether any change to display practices will be required, particularly for flying demonstrations that involve vintage or light aircraft.
The incident will also prompt scrutiny of public-safety arrangements for events at small heritage aerodromes. Organisers had previously outlined the Turbulent team’s planned activities on social media, including low-level manoeuvres such as balloon-chasing and flour-bomb drops, which are characteristic of displays using very light, single-seat aircraft.
Further updates are likely to come from Essex Police, the aerodrome’s operators and, should it be relevant, national aviation safety bodies. For now the focus remains on the injured pilot’s condition and the cause of the crash.
