Flight data shows plane taking erratic course around Essex before crash

Flight radar pictures appear to show the final moments before a light aircraft crashed into a reservoir.

The logs for the plane which crashed near Hanningfield Reservoir in Essex show the plane taking off from North Weald Airfield, supposedly destined for Southend Airport.

The plane, however, charts an erratic course around Essex.

Data from FlightRadar24 shows the plane heading straight for the reservoir and circling several times before heading north towards Chelmsford.

The aircraft then diverts south flying past the reservoir again and heading towards North Weald.

The data shows the plane circling the reservoir in the moments before 2pm and then goes offline shortly after.

It is not clear where the plane crashed but police teams were searching the water.

The data suggests the flight, registered as registered as flight G-AZDG, started travelling at North Weald Airfield at 11.54am.

Its total flight time was 1 hour and 23 minutes, according to the logs.

The plane, which is reported to be a Beagle B121 Pup aircraft crashed on Sunday afternoon, and data according to FlightRadar24 suggests the three seater lost 1,800 feet (548 metres) of altitude in seconds and the final tracking signal was received at 2.55pm.

It was on sale with Plane Trading Ltd at the time and a staff member at the company, who asked not to be named, told the Press Association the aircraft was “in lovely condition and well maintained”.

An AAIB spokesperson said: “An accident at Hanningfield Reservoir involving an aircraft has been notified to the AAIB.

“An investigation has been launched, and a multidisciplinary team of inspectors have deployed to the accident site.”

Chief Supt Waheed Khan of Essex Police said: “We are still in the early stages of our investigation and are working closely with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) to establish what has happened.”