A 62-year-old pilot is fighting for his life after his light aircraft overturned during a crash at Popham Airfield in Hampshire.
The man, who was flying a microlight, became trapped inside the wreckage following the incident.
Emergency crews freed him from the aircraft and transported him to Southampton Hospital by ambulance.
Hampshire Police have confirmed that the pilot suffered serious injuries described as potentially life-threatening and life-changing.
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He is currently receiving treatment for his injuries.
The emergency call was placed at 5.43pm following reports that the microlight had crashed with its pilot trapped inside.
Within 16 minutes, at 5.59pm, the first ambulance crew reached the scene.
Critical care doctors aboard an air ambulance also responded to the airfield, along with police officers and fire crews.
Firefighters carried out the operation to extract the man from the aircraft before transferring him into the care of paramedics.
The fire service additionally ensured the aircraft was made safe before handing the scene over to police.
Hampshire Police confirmed that officers attended the scene and have been liaising with the Air Accident Investigation Branch regarding the incident.
The pilot was transported to Southampton Hospital by road ambulance, arriving at 7.02pm.
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The circumstances surrounding the crash at the Hampshire airfield remain under investigation.
A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: “We were called at 5.45pm with reports of a collision at Popham Airfield involving a single light aircraft which had overturned. The pilot, a man aged in his 60s, has sustained serious and potentially life-threatening and life-changing injuries.
“He has been taken to hospital for treatment. Officers have attended the scene and have liaised with the Air Accident Investigation Branch.”
Hampshire fire service said: “Firefighters were called to a light aircraft crash at Popham Airfield at around six o’clock this evening. Crews from Rushmoor, Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester were alerted to the scene alongside police and ambulance teams.”
They added: “One casualty was released from the aircraft and passed into the care of paramedics. Firefighters made the aircraft safe, before the incident was handed over to police to manage the scene. Fire engines have begun to depart and return to station.”
South Central Ambulance said: “We received the 999 call at 17:43 for a microlite crash at Popham Airfield with reports of the pilot trapped. Our first crew on scene arrived at 17:59. Air ambulance and critical care doctors also attended. Police and Fire also attended.
“The patient, a 62-year-old male, was freed and taken to Southampton Hospital at 19:02 by road ambulance.”
No further details about the cause of the incident have been released by authorities at this stage.
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