A 66-year-old pilot died when his small plane crashed into Hanningfield Reservoir near Chelmsford, Essex, on December 28; no suspicious circumstances found.
Pilot Identified in Plane Crash at Chelmsford Reservoir
A pilot who died after a small private plane crashed into a beauty spot has been named for the first time.
Peter Beeson, 66, of Bishop’s Stortford, crashed a Beagle B121 Pup aircraft into the reservoir near Chelmsford, Essex, last month.
Aircraft parts were recovered, including a seat cover and fibreglass.
The privately-owned plane was scheduled to fly to Southend Airport before the tragedy on December 28.
The plane had left North Weald Airfield just before midday, shortly after Christmas, before crashing at Hanningfield Reservoir between Chelmsford and Billericay.
Peter was believed to be the sole occupant of the aircraft before it plummeted into the water.
The investigation has not identified any suspicious circumstances, according to police.
Police stated that a post-mortem examination was carried out on Wednesday.
Detective Inspector Lydia George, who leads the Essex Police investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with family and friends, and I offer my condolences.”
She added, “At the end of last year, we were involved in an extensive search alongside our emergency services partners, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), and other specialists following notification of a plane crash near Chelmsford.”
“Sadly, that search resulted in divers from the Metropolitan Police Service recovering the body of Mr Beeson.”
“I’d like to thank all our partners who assisted in the search and recovery and specialists from across multiple agencies, including Essex and Suffolk Water.”
Summary of Incident
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Pilot Name | Peter Beeson |
| Age | 66 |
| Location of Crash | Hanningfield Reservoir, Chelmsford, Essex |
| Date of Crash | December 28 |
| Aircraft Type | Beagle B121 Pup |
| Flight Origin | North Weald Airfield |
| Destination | Southend Airport |
| Investigation Status | No suspicious circumstances identified |
