A SECOND World War plane has crashed at a property billionaire’s stately home – leaving the pilot seriously injured.
The Grumman General Motors Wildcat fighter crashed at around 5.10pm today at Hevenignham Hall near Halesworth in Suffolk.
Its pilot was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.
The 5,000-acre estate is the stately home of property entrepreneur Jon Hunt, who founded the Foxtons estate agents chain in London and is worth £1.448billion.
The aircraft, which used to fly with the Royal Navy’s 733 Naval Air Squadron, is believed to have been coming in to land on a small airstrip at the hall when it flipped over.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service sent ten fire crews to the scene and cordoned off an area around the crash site which was visible from a nearby public road.
A fire appliance was also seen outside the main entrance of 18th century Heveningham Hall.
The male pilot was the only person on board the single-seat turbo prop plane Grumman Gpoleneral Motors Wildcat, which is believed to have had a top speed of 318mph.
A Suffolk Police spokesperson said: “Police, ambulance crew and Suffolk Fire and Rescue are all in attendance to the incident.
“The pilot, a man, has been airlifted to hospital having sustained serious injuries. No one else was on board the plane.
“At this stage it is believed the pilot was attempting to land the plane at the time of the incident.
“An area of Heveningham Hall has been cordoned off while officers deal with the incident.
“The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has been informed and will be investigating the incident.”
Grade One listed Heveningham Hall was bought by Mr Hunt in 1994 after it was on the market for three years.
Mr Hunt went on to landscape the grounds of the estate with lakes, following plans originally drawn up by Capability Brown.
He has since bought up several country houses and farmhouses in the area which he has converted into the Wilderness Reserve, an up-market holiday retreat which is popular with celebrity guests.
The Grumman Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet.
It was said to have performed poorly against Japan’s Zero fights in air battles over the Pacific, and was later replaced by the faster and more powerful Hellcat.
