Police confirm death of glider pilot following mid-air Melton collision

A police car at the glider crash site in Melton yesterday

A glider pilot died in yesterday’s incident in Melton, police have just confirmed this morning (Friday).

Two gliders collided in mid-air with one of them crashing into a field near the A607 Leicester Road while the other is believed to have come down in a field off Sandy Lane.

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said today: “Police received a call shortly before 3pm yesterday to a report that a glider had crashed after it had been involved in a mid-air collision with a second glider.

“The glider was found in a field in Alderman Way and the pilot was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.

The wreckage in the field off the A607 Leicester Road in Melton following yesterday's mid-air glider collision

“The second glider landed safely nearby. The pilot sustained minor injuries.”

The identity of the person who died has not yet been revealed.

Police officers attended the scene and were assisted by colleagues from East Midlands Ambulance Service and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, who also attended. An air ambulance also landed at the Melton crash site, which was close to the new Bellway home housing estate.

There were unconfirmed reports yesterday that the glider had struck a chimney of a house on Redbrook Crescent before breaking up on impact in the field.

The spokesman added: “Leicestershire Police is continuing to support the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) who will be leading on the investigation into the incident.”

An AAIB spokesperson said: “We have launched an investigation into a glider mid-air collision which occurred near Melton Mowbray, and have deployed a team to the site.”

Anyone with information or footage of the incident, when the two gliders collided, is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 422 of August 17.