Two escape injury as microlight engine stalls at 1,000 feet

Nobody was injured when a pilot crash-landed his light aircraft in a Qrendi field just behind the parish church after the engine failed at 1,000 feet yesterday morning.

The microlight plane hit a tree just before landing and then toppled over because the soft soil that had just been ploughed was too rough.

"We had just reached the desired altitude and then, all of sudden, the engine went silent. Thank God everything went well and we managed to find a place to land," Major Mark Anthony Said, 45, said after escaping unharmed to the delight of his wife and son.

The aircraft was relatively new, so he was very surprised by its sudden engine failure.

"But these are things that happen. Now we have to see whether it was an electrical or fuel problem or something else," the experienced Armed Forces of Malta pilot who has flown over 60 planes said.

Passenger and trainee pilot Jean Paul Grech, in his late 20s, was taken to hospital in shock and complaining of pain to his side but was later said to be in a good condition.

The incident happened during a leisure cruise at about 9.15 a.m.

"I'd like to thank all the authorities and the emergency services which were near me within five minutes. It was a very good exercise." Major Said added.

He was one of the founders of the popular Island Microlight Club, which operates from Malta International Airport.

Crash-landings over the past five years

• May 2009: Paul Soler, 46, crash-lands his microlight plane in Mtaħleb, escaping unharmed with passenger Edwina Soler.

• September 2007: Pilots Adrian Vella Gera and Swiss national Melina Hunziker escape unhurt when their Tecnam P-92J Echo single engine plane crashed in a field in Luqa.

• June 2004: Microlight pilot makes precautionary emergency landing on a stretch of unsurfaced road in Marsascala after having doubts about whether the engine was running properly.