Skip to content

Police investigating plane crash that killed two

Lewis Adamsat Essex Coroner's Court
Family handouts A composite image of Vamshi Mandala and Dylan Patel. Vamshi is wearing a beige shirt and sunglasses on a boat. He has curly black hair and is giving a thumbs up to the camera. Dylan is wearing a navy pilot's suit onboard a plane. He has short black hair and a neat beard and is smiling.Family handouts
Vamshi Mandala was a passenger on the flight flown by Dylan Patel

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of two people killed when an experience flight crashed into a field, a coroner said.

The two-seat Cessna light aircraft was carrying out a 30-minute trip when it crashed over farmer's land in High Ongar, Essex, on 30 June.

Indian student Vamshi Mandala, 25, chartered the flight, piloted by 26-year-old Dylan Patel, to celebrate finishing university.

Essex Coroner's Court was told they both died at the scene from multiple injuries.

"This is a real tragedy and the unexpected deaths of both of these young men in such traumatic circumstances can only be described as truly disturbing," said Lincoln Brookes, the senior coroner for Essex.

Members of both Patel, from Harlow, and Mandala's families used a video link to attend the brief hearing remotely.

John Fairhall/BBC A drone image of investigators at the scene of the crash. A white plane can be seen badly damaged and there are several tents set up around it. It is all based in a large field.John Fairhall/BBC
Forensic teams spent three days searching the crash site off Mill Road

The plane "unexpectedly crashed" near Mill Road eight minutes after it set off from North Weald Airfield, shortly before 12:30 BST.

"An ambulance was called and paramedics confirmed death at the scene," said coroner's officer Debbie Wallace, opening an inquest in Chelmsford.

Brookes said Essex Police had asked him to suspend the proceedings "pending the outcome of a police investigation".

He warned the families listening that it could take a "considerable amount of time" for inquiries to conclude and so he could not fix a date for the full inquest.

"I'm sure their passing has left a huge hole in your lives. I offer my deepest condolences to you all," Brookes told the relatives.

Stuart Woodward/BBC Three police vans parked on a field, with an officer looking away into the field.Stuart Woodward/BBC
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is also investigating the crash, but initially described it as an "accident"

DNA and fingerprints were used to identify Mandala and Patel by police, who were called by members of the public who saw the plane fall.

The family of Mandala, a masters student at the University of East London, told the BBC of their "profound grief and deep anguish" about his death.

According to tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft he was onboard had been flown twice already that day - including one trip by Mandala's friend.

The flight experience they booked costs at least £125 for a 30-minute journey and offers customers supervised access to the plane's dual controls.

Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? Contact us below.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

More on this story
Related internet links