Sirocco 377GB G-MMLL Microlight near Fangfoss.

On the morning of 8th May 1987 the pilot undertook his first solo flight of this microlight. He was an experienced microlight pilot but this aircraft was new to him. He took off from Full Sutton airfield at 09.00hrs with an instructor watching on the ground having asked him to fly a series of circuits of the airfield to get used to the controls. At around 09.30hrs the microlight was seen to fly over the airfield, flying south but instead of then turning to make a circuit of the airfield, the microlight continued straight ahead. It was seen to make a slow descending turn to the right which increased until the nose dropped and it crashed almost inverted into a hedge and then a field near Fangfoss Grange. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft was registered to Midland Ultralights Ltd, of Lutterworth, Leicestershire. It had previously crashed in Staffordshire on 16th August 1986 when it became stuck in tree tops.

Pilot - Mr Richard Crosthwaite. Aged 52. Buried Hutton Rudby Churchyard, North Yorkshire.