A PILOT was trapped inside a plane for 50 minutes after crashing into a tree at Kenyon Hall Farm.

A probe was carried out into the cause of the plane crash in Culcheth on June 24 at 6pm by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Earlier this year, the Warrington Guardian reported how the pilot, a man in his 70s, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Warrington Hospital following the crash. 

In a statement given to investigators, he said he was taking off from Kenyon Hall Farm strip and, due to the wind, he chose to take off in a north‑easterly direction, which has some trees down its left edge.

He took off from a three-point attitude, which he considered normal for this aircraft, and soon after becoming airborne he saw the top of a tree ahead.

As he was too late to avoid it, the aircraft 'sliced the top of the tree off and crashed into another tree'.

The pilot was uninjured but he was trapped inside as he was unable to open the canopy.

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He believes the crash was caused by a failure to apply 'sufficient right rudder to counter the engine torque' as well as not maintaining sight of the right edge of the runway, which borders a field of crops, in his peripheral vision.