Pilot who died in crash at Spanhoe Airfield between Corby and Stamford is named

The pilot who died in a plane crash at a former RAF airfield has been named.

Aidan Grimley, 65, died in the accident at Spanhoe Airfield between Laxton and Harringworth on Saturday (July 13).

A stunt pilot, Mr Grimley was one of the country’s leading aerobatics instructors and is understood to have been a married father who lived at Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

The crash is being investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which looks into the circumstances and causes of any aircraft crashes in Britain.

Mr Grimley was alone in the aircraft and died at the scene. Paramedics and police attended.

On social media, a friend posted: “Very sadly Aidan had an accident on Saturday.

“He had a few hours off work so flew up to Spanhoe solo to see a friend and decided to make a low pass which went wrong, unfortunately he did not survive.

“He was a great friend, much loved by so many, a unique character totally devoted to flying and aerobatics and will be very sadly missed.”

Spanhoe is now a single-runway airfield that first opened on New Year’s Day 1944 as an RAF base for the British and American air forces.

Anyone with information that could help with the accident investigation should call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 242 of July 13.