Pilot who taught Carol Vorderman loop-the-loop dies in crash
- Published
A pilot who taught Carol Vorderman how to do a loop-the-loop was one of two people to die in a biplane crash.
Flying instructor Emily Collett, 36, and her passenger, Tom Castle, 30, both died during a lesson in Oxfordshire on Saturday, The Sun reported.
Vorderman was shown being given a lesson by Mrs Collett during an episode of The One Show in 2017.
Paying tribute to Mrs Collett on Twitter, Vorderman said: "My time with her in the air was nothing but a joy."
The former Countdown co-host added that the death was a "terrible loss", and described Mrs Collett as "an extraordinary young woman".
When they filmed together for the BBC in July 2017, Vorderman said she "loved doing the loop with this top woman Emily Collett".
Mrs Collett had competed in the British Aerobatics Team and became the British advanced national champion in 2016.
Mr Castle was a keen private pilot who was undergoing tuition to further his aerobatics training, his family said.
Such a terrible terrible loss...Emily was an extraordinary young woman and pilot and my time with her in the air was nothing but a joy. My heart goes out to her husband Mike, to Emily's family and to Tom Castle's family in their grief. Rest In Peace https://t.co/0oT53vMQpO
— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) August 25, 2019
Emergency services were called to a field in Stonor, near Henley-on-Thames, at about 14:00 BST on Saturday.
Thames Valley Police said the pilot and passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.
Nobody on the ground was injured.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has started an investigation.
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- Published
- 25 August 2019