Light aircraft crashes near M62 in Greater Manchester as emergency services rush to scene

A light aircraft crash near the M62 in Greater Manchester triggered a major emergency response on Monday after a small plane went down on farmland close to Littleborough, with one of those on board understood to have escaped using a parachute.

Police, firefighters and an air ambulance were called to the scene shortly after 11am, with Greater Manchester Police confirming that officers were working alongside other emergency services to establish the circumstances of the incident and assess whether there were any casualties.

Images shared on social media appeared to show a yellow parachute caught on a nearby electricity pylon, raising hopes that at least one occupant had managed to evacuate the aircraft before impact.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said a cordon had been put in place while enquiries continued and urged members of the public to avoid the area.

According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft involved is believed to be a Cirrus SR20, a small single-engine plane, which had taken off from Birmingham before losing altitude over the Pennines. The Cirrus range is fitted with an emergency parachute system designed to deploy in the event of serious in-flight difficulties.

The air ambulance dispatched to the crash site, near Tunshill Lane and close to Tunshill Golf Club, later landed at Salford Royal Hospital, though the condition of those involved has not been formally confirmed.

Local residents described a large-scale response in difficult weather conditions. Pete Robinson, a farmer from Shaw, said he was feeding sheep when he heard sirens and saw what he described as a “massive response” heading towards Blackstone Edge.

“I went up into a top field and saw what I thought at the time was a paraglider on the moor edge, with engines and lights everywhere,” he said. “Hopefully they will be okay because the wind is horrendous up there.”

Stephanie Mills, from Dickey Steps Riding School, said numerous emergency vehicles had arrived and that a large yellow parachute was clearly visible attached to a pylon.

“There wasn’t any noise that I heard, but there’s a huge yellow parachute and a lot of police and helicopters in the area,” she said.

Andrew Mayall, a greenkeeper at Whittaker Golf Club, said he had noticed something unusual shortly after 10am but initially assumed debris had been blown onto the hillside due to strong winds.

Investigations into civil aviation incidents in the UK are typically overseen by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which examines the circumstances surrounding crashes and serious incidents to determine their cause.

Emergency services remained at the scene as enquiries continued.

For more independent coverage of major incidents and breaking news across the UK and beyond, follow EyeOnLondon. We’d love to hear your views in the comments.

Follow us on:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!

We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!