Fatal Thorganby plane crash caused by failed spin recovery, report finds
Two people died in the crash in July 2024
Last updated 30th Apr 2026
An investigation into a light aircraft crash near Selby in 2024 has revealed that two men died after the plane carried out a spinning manoeuvre.
A Cessna FRA150L crashed in a field in Thorganby north of Breighton Airfield on 28 July 2024, after it was unable to recover from the spin.
Both the pilot and passenger died in the crash.
Matthew, who was the pilot of the light aircraft, was 21 and from Spofforth.
Oliver Dawes, who was the passenger, was 24 and from Burley in Wharfedale.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch report states: "The aircraft entered a fully developed spin to the left but, when recovery actions were commenced, the control column was not pushed far enough forward to un-stall the wing. The aircraft therefore remained in a spin until it struck the ground.
"The pilot was newly rated for aerobatic flying, and it was likely that the spin recovery technique had not yet become a skill-based response that he could apply effectively even when surprised.
"The accident highlighted how unexpectedly challenging it can be to recover from multiple-turn spins."