'Passengers were telling us to get out the way' (From News Shopper)

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'Passengers were telling us to get out the way'

9:59am Wednesday 2nd April 2008

comment Comments (40) Have your say »

By David Mills »

GARY Wallcraft was playing football with his friends at the time the plane began to fall from the sky.

The 16-year-old says he saw the passengers waving at them through the windows telling them to get out of the way.

It is thought the plane was going to crash-land in Darrick Wood sports field, where the boys were playing, but the pilot pulled the plane away in time.

Gary, who lives in Broadwater Gardens, across the road from where the plane crashed, said: "I was playing football and I saw a white thing in the corner of my eye so I turned round and it was the plane, and I told everyone to get down and I just froze.

"I was standing right in the middle when it came past me.

"I could see the pilot and the concentration in his face, trying to pull it up.

"I knew he was trying to land on the field because it's an open field.

"Passengers were waving telling us to get out of the way.

"I knew it was going to crash because it was coming in too low.

"There was also a man and his son playing at the other end of the field.

"I reckon he realised we were there and pulled the plane up."

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Sunny, London says...
11:02am Wed 2 Apr 08

What a hero the pilot was! Makes me choke with tears to think there really are some decent people actually left in Britain

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Me, says...
11:50am Wed 2 Apr 08

Sunny wrote:
What a hero the pilot was! Makes me choke with tears to think there really are some decent people actually left in Britain

Excatly!
That pilot could have landed there safely and saved the lifes on those on board but he wasnt prepared to risk the lifes off those on the ground.

He really is a hero, I hope that can bring some small comfort to his family. God bless him xx

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Bromgal, Kent says...
1:38pm Wed 2 Apr 08

I don't doubt for one moment that the pilot was true hero and did his best to prevent major catastrophe.

But given the fact that the plane would have been travelling at great speed right until the moment of impact, I am very sceptical of claims from people saying that they could see the 'whites of the pilots eyes' and so forth just before the crash.

I think that these people should search out their 15 minutes of fame elsewhere.

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Ron, says...
1:51pm Wed 2 Apr 08

Im not sure if Hero is the correct word. If the pilot made every attempt to land on open ground then he would have been doing what would have been expected of him as a trained pilot. Would he still have been a hero if the house he hit had been occupied by a family?
We also dont know the cause of the crash. Mechanical failure is most likely, but pilot error during or before take off has not been ruled out as far as I understand.
Its a tragic loss of life, yes. No one can disagree on that. But lets keep some balance.

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Sunny, London says...
2:20pm Wed 2 Apr 08

Ron

The term 'hero' is the way the pilot is being described because of his courageousness. He had to make a very quick decision involving all parties and not just in the aircraft but the people below and he chose to avoid landing in the field as he could see children playing there. It would have been a very tough decision to make in such a short space of time and a very brave one. Now do you understand why we all think he really was a hero ??

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mt, says...
2:25pm Wed 2 Apr 08

This story is reported over 8 times and has its own page, it was an awful thing to happen, but do we need photos of Gary Wallcraft ?? I dont think so i cannot see the point. just my op.

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jayjay, here says...
2:57pm Wed 2 Apr 08

I don't think the pilot performed a particularly heroic act, he crash landed into a housing estate!!!! He could have taken out more than the one house he did and what if the people had been at home? I call him extremely lucky that in the circumstances this wasn't a more tragic loss of life.

What is wrong with the people on the playing field? I'm sorry but if you hear a plane flying and the noise is louder than you are used to surely you would look up then run like mad out of the way instead of standing there trying to spot the white's of frightened peoples eyes.

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John M, Orpington says...
3:03pm Wed 2 Apr 08

The pilot is definatly a true hero not only did he not land the plane where children were playing. He missed my house which is at the top of Northlands Avenue, the hill before the one he unfortunalty crashed landed one. He flew over my back garden at about thirty to forty foot between my house and the thirty foot trees in my back garden. However, I did not see the pilot or the passengers. Also I believe it was not pilot error in rsponse to Ron's comment because of the sound the plane was making from the engine and the fact that I could see the pilot was trying to increase the height of the plane by how it looked but the plane would not rise.

Anyway the pilot most likley saved at least fifty lives by his actions by not crashing into houses. Unfortunatly, he and four others lost their lives.

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Helen, Kent says...
3:21pm Wed 2 Apr 08

If he's not a 'Hero' Ron then please tell us what you would describe him as?

I don't think you really need to be arguing the terminology of what so many are choosing to refer to him as. Have some respect and leave his memory be.

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The real Me, Here says...
4:17pm Wed 2 Apr 08

In my mind the real hero here is Gary Wallcraft. The way he acted ("just froze") was completely fearless. He should get a Victoria Cross.

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lin, Hayes says...
4:41pm Wed 2 Apr 08

The real Me wrote:
In my mind the real hero here is Gary Wallcraft. The way he acted (\"just froze\") was completely fearless. He should get a Victoria Cross.

Couldnt agree more, sounds like a real community guy from the earlier posts that have been removed!!! Just out to get his 5 mins of fame, what a saddo

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Sam, Dartford says...
4:42pm Wed 2 Apr 08

Bromgal wrote:
I don't doubt for one moment that the pilot was true hero and did his best to prevent major catastrophe. But given the fact that the plane would have been travelling at great speed right until the moment of impact, I am very sceptical of claims from people saying that they could see the 'whites of the pilots eyes' and so forth just before the crash. I think that these people should search out their 15 minutes of fame elsewhere.

If you care to read the story properly it didn't say Gary saw the whites of the pilots eyes. it said he saw something white out the corner of his eye!! Grow up and show some respect, this was a young boy playing football who was in shock at what he saw maybe someone should drive a plane at you and see what you do?

My thoughts and prayers are with the family that have lost there loved onesXXX

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c.a., says...
5:03pm Wed 2 Apr 08

John M, do you think you would be calling him a hero if he had of crashed into your house,killing all the occupants.
Know what some of you are saying,yes he had to make an instant decision, but that is what he is trained to do. Who do I injure - my passengers or people on the ground?- all of whom were innocent, it's no better than the passengers were the ones who got killed is it? Are their lives worth less than the people who may have been on the field?

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John M, Orpington says...
5:20pm Wed 2 Apr 08

In reply to c.a most likley not but he did not crash into my house and did his best that to miss lots of houses and therefore, that is why he is a hero.

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c.a., says...
5:52pm Wed 2 Apr 08

Have to agree to differ, good job the house owners were away on holiday really wasn't it. It could have all been avoided if they hadn't of hired a private jet but they did and so it is just an accident, nothing more nothing less.

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jennifer barclay, welling says...
8:02pm Wed 2 Apr 08

I have just spent some time reading peoles comments and was upset the attitude of Ron towards the pilot who I would also class as hero. Would he like to say that about all the men who flew in the war and ended up crashing! they were still called Heros.

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Bromgal, Kent says...
8:19pm Wed 2 Apr 08

Sam, if you care to read my response properly before telling me to 'grow up' (how mature) I did not say that is what Gary claimed. I said 'I am very sceptical of claims from people saying that they could see the 'whites of the pilots eyes' and so forth just before the crash.' The so forth applying to whatever else people are claiming to have seen through tiny 1 foot by 1 foot Cessna Citation windows probably travelling at hundereds of miles per hour just before it crashed. It would have been over in seconds.

I have the utmost respect for the people who have perished in this terrible tragedy. But absolutely none for those who are using the opportunity to get their picture in the paper, or as leverage in their crusade against the expansion of Biggin Hill Airport.

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keeley,11 from crofton juniors school., crofton says...
9:52pm Wed 2 Apr 08

he is such a hero trying to save others even though he knew he was going to die god bless him and the passengers R.I.P ****

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keeley, crofton says...
9:59pm Wed 2 Apr 08

sorry the stars wasnt meant to be rude the X came out as stars i meant **** lol

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Em, Calgary says...
12:11am Thu 3 Apr 08

The last thing he did in his life was try and preserve lives... makes him a hero in my eyes

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offshore, says...
2:09am Thu 3 Apr 08

jennifer barclay- a lot of pilots during the war received only a couple of weeks training and were only 20 years old. A lot of them had no choice but to fly planes and fight the enemy, they ran a risk of crashing and getting shot down each time they took off. They were fighting for their country. This is a completely different scenario, why bring up the war, it has nothing to do with this story.

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Sunny, London says...
10:21am Thu 3 Apr 08

c.a. wrote:
John M, do you think you would be calling him a hero if he had of crashed into your house,killing all the occupants. Know what some of you are saying,yes he had to make an instant decision, but that is what he is trained to do. Who do I injure - my passengers or people on the ground?- all of whom were innocent, it's no better than the passengers were the ones who got killed is it? Are their lives worth less than the people who may have been on the field?

Yer yer c.a. You sound like you've had a life. Do you really think a pilot has the time to dither like your message. Thank god your NOT a pilot. No control.

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Michelle & Sharon, Farnborough, kent says...
10:38am Thu 3 Apr 08

Everyone is moaning about him being a hero or not. He is a HERO in our eyes as he was struggling to keep the plane away from the houses & people but the engine cut out so he glided and unfortunately hit 2 houses as the plane flipped in the air. He was aiming for the trees/field.
As for gary & the others asking for a great sum of money for their stories/photos is absolutely outrageous they should donate the cash to families who have lost in this accident or put it to a memorial.

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Bob, n/a says...
1:32pm Thu 3 Apr 08

I knew Mike and feel he done the best he could in the terrible situation and averted a MAJOR!!!!!!!!!!!! incident. May he rest in peace along with the others.

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Anon, Darrick Wood says...
3:31pm Thu 3 Apr 08

People like garry and tim walcroft and lucy hone and all the rest of these parasites should be ashamed of themselves. Trying to cash in on such a tragic accident on their front door step. It is hypocritical of them to bang on about how unsafe it is with planes flying so low(which is rubbish)but in the next breath they sit on their ROOFS every year to watch the air show. As for asking for money from the media and photographers, you should be ashamed of yourselfs. As for saying you could see the people on the plane as it whizzed past....WHAT A LIE!! it was going too fast to see anything. People like you make me sick and believe you me, people on the estate think that what you have all done is discusting. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I hope your 15 minutes of fame was worth it as what you have all done has certainly not gained you any friends or popularity. god bless the pilot and everyone on board. I hope their familys find some comfort in the fact that they gave their lives trying to save others.

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Taz, Broadwater gardens says...
11:03pm Thu 3 Apr 08

The pilots are HERO's
Humans instinctively want to live - and any one who saves the lives of others at their expense is a HERO. They are not robots no matter how well trained they have a choice.......It could have been me in my house or any other of my neighbours but he kept going, just missing the end of the estate fighting all the way and NOBODY on the ground was hurt ...call it luck but if he didnt keep going would it have been so lucky?????? That plane was flown by people trying not to hurt others..............

.THAT IS WHAT A HERO IS.......Just because they tried to save lives !!!!!!!
A big thank you to all who loved them from those he saved...

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Anon, Farnborough says...
10:45am Fri 4 Apr 08

I live at the far end of the first housing estate in a flat. I saw the plane from the moment it came over my roof, slightly to the right of my sitting room window, to the time it crashed because I have a panoramic view of the whole area and tracked it immediately. I never heard the plane I saw it, and knew immediately it was in trouble. There was absolutely no engine noise whatsoever.The plane was gliding and the pilot was extremely lucky it stayed airborne for as long as it did. I knew the chances of anyone surviving the crash were nil when I saw it explode. It has upset me deeply and I actually broke down when I was speaking to the Air Investigation team. Were these children on the playing field which is by Tubbenden Lane, because other than that field he wouldn't have gone over any other playing field from the time he went over my roof to the time he crashed. As for people seeing the passengers, no they didn't because it was very low but not low enough to actually see any passengers faces. From some of the stories I've heard since the crash I think some people are lying just to get their five minutes of fame. It makes me extremely angry as this is counter productive for the investigation team to find out exactly what happened last Sunday.

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Dee, Nearby says...
11:19am Fri 4 Apr 08

if those boys were not playing on a school sports field, surely they shouldnt have been there it was Sunday after all, Then perhaps we would not be talking about 5 dead people. Just a thought

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julie, st pauls cray says...
12:34pm Fri 4 Apr 08

Anon wrote:
I live at the far end of the first housing estate in a flat. I saw the plane from the moment it came over my roof, slightly to the right of my sitting room window, to the time it crashed because I have a panoramic view of the whole area and tracked it immediately. I never heard the plane I saw it, and knew immediately it was in trouble. There was absolutely no engine noise whatsoever.The plane was gliding and the pilot was extremely lucky it stayed airborne for as long as it did. I knew the chances of anyone surviving the crash were nil when I saw it explode. It has upset me deeply and I actually broke down when I was speaking to the Air Investigation team. Were these children on the playing field which is by Tubbenden Lane, because other than that field he wouldn't have gone over any other playing field from the time he went over my roof to the time he crashed. As for people seeing the passengers, no they didn't because it was very low but not low enough to actually see any passengers faces. From some of the stories I've heard since the crash I think some people are lying just to get their five minutes of fame. It makes me extremely angry as this is counter productive for the investigation team to find out exactly what happened last Sunday.

dee darrcik wood school have a fenced off playing field up in the fields near the woods which they use for pe i think thats where the kids were.
also anon i was in my mums house when it happened and it flew over her garage seconds before it crashed andshe lives in broadwater gardens and the almighty sound that wascoming from it is unforgetable so for you to say it was making any noise isnt true

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gary wallcraft, franbough/kent says...
12:21am Mon 7 Apr 08

The real Me wrote:
In my mind the real hero here is Gary Wallcraft. The way he acted ("just froze") was completely fearless. He should get a Victoria Cross.

thank you people do know wt tlking bout i wasnt doin it 4 fame or the money i repest him wid all my heart

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anon, Farnborough says...
8:56am Mon 7 Apr 08

gary wallcraft wrote:

The real Me wrote: In my mind the real hero here is Gary Wallcraft. The way he acted ("just froze") was completely fearless. He should get a Victoria Cross.
thank you people do know wt tlking bout i wasnt doin it 4 fame or the money i repest him wid all my heart

garry the person that wrote this was being sarcastic and taking the mickey out of you. NO ONE thinks that you are a hero so dont even think for one second that you are. If yuo wasnt doing it for the money then maybe you and your brother would have considered giveing your BLOOD MONEY to the familys of the dead.

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Anon, Farnborough says...
12:36pm Mon 7 Apr 08

Well I'm sorry Julie, but I would swear on my life, and so would my neighbours that as the plane flew past our roof it was NOT making any noise at all. I think we'd have all heard it, even one jet engine going past our windows 12 foot above us could have been heard, seeing as we hear them every five minutes at 2,000 feet!!! So please don't imply I am a liar! Maybe he'd managed to get one of the engines started by time he got to the site a millisecond before it crashed!

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English speaker, England says...
1:51pm Mon 7 Apr 08

thank you people do know wt tlking bout i wasnt doin it 4 fame or the money i repest him wid all my heart

Eh?

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becky u no who i am, chelsfieold now says...
4:13pm Mon 7 Apr 08

gary dont rise to them we no what you kids see at ita a sham you had to witness somthink so awful i no it was a accident and the poor people lost thir lives but nowin the gary that i no he wouldnt wanna see no one in bother well done to all the kids that witnessed it just glad mine werent thir with you xx

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Tim Collison, Farnborough estate says...
7:17pm Tue 8 Apr 08

For all those people that think gary and myself said what we did for the fame and money you should be the ones who need to be ashamed of yourselfs!!
Neither one of us asked for any money, all we done was give our account on what happened. Not for fame or money. If that is what you think then u have a pretty low opinion of yourselfs. What everybody saw that day was a tragedy, not an oppourtunity to cash in on any stories, no money has been received, and none will. But you believe what you want, we know the truth behind our actions and stories, we're all troubled by what happened, isn't that enough?

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matt, bickley says...
9:22pm Tue 8 Apr 08

Have i woke up in the U.S.A. Why does there always have to be an hero, the pilot had a crap plane that he had no control over, he didnt have a clue where it would go down.

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Debs, Farnborough says...
3:02am Wed 9 Apr 08

Everybody has their own version of events that day, right or wrong it doesnt matter, whoever saw or heard anything know themselves if its true or not, why argue, it really isnt going to change anything. If people want to cash in on somebody elses tragedy then thats their perogative, is that even true? Only those who have been accused of it will know. As for the pilot, I can't begin to imagine what he was going through in his final moments, and the passengers also, I am sure he done all he could to avoid an even bigger loss of life. 5 people died that day and if your all honest with yourselves thats pretty much the only information thats 100% true, the families of those poor people are the ones grieving for their losses, wives have lost their husbands, children have lost their fathers, and friends have lost friends, I am personaly very saddened by the accident and hope that the families of the pilot and passenger are someday able to find some peace in all this and move on with their lives. God Bless to those who lost their lives and our thoughts and best wishes go to their families and friends.

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who do u think u r, not near u snobs tg says...
6:03am Wed 9 Apr 08

as usual the bitter whiter than white newshopper readers come out in judgement on a pilot...they had never even heard of before this tragedy and a young man whom, they wouldnt even recognise in the street now.
Sounds like most are sick with their posts panging of jealousy as they wasnt there to get there moment of " fame" as they put it.
He gave an eyewitness account of what he saw, and was big enough to admit he shat his pants and froze, and you snobs think you have the right to belittle him ??? his just a kid,in his posistion even you so called big hard grown ups would have messed yourselfs...may be not froze, but you would have ran trying to save your own sorry little skid marked stained backside and then told the paper how you single handedly averted a major disater..... to the idiot that mocked him...what was he supposed to do ? jump onto the plane and save it single handedly ? run round the field in 3 seconds flat grabbing everyone and clearing the way for the jet to make an emergency landing ? what a sad sicko you are, ..as for the berk trying to cliam this pilot was just doing his job he was trained for and not a hero....get a life muppet, he had seconds, mere seconds to try and land his stricken plane in a field he hoped was empty, he bravely tried to avoid hitting those in the field which resulted in him crashing into a house. Do you think he aimed at the house deliberatly ???? no it was un avoidable had it been occupied or not (as the case may be) the man is still a hero, you should be ashamed of yourself trying to take his couragous act away and turn it into a " matter of fact statement"

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Anon, kent says...
11:55pm Wed 9 Apr 08

Here Here!

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me, broadwater says...
4:40pm Sat 12 Apr 08

Anon wrote:
Well I'm sorry Julie, but I would swear on my life, and so would my neighbours that as the plane flew past our roof it was NOT making any noise at all. I think we'd have all heard it, even one jet engine going past our windows 12 foot above us could have been heard, seeing as we hear them every five minutes at 2,000 feet!!! So please don't imply I am a liar! Maybe he'd managed to get one of the engines started by time he got to the site a millisecond before it crashed!

you must be deaf or something u have no idea of the noise that came out of that plane every single one of you people should grow up and leave gary tim and every one else alone your all being like a bunch of children you fools.

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