RAF pilot’s crash near Elgin at Easterton Airfield led to double ankle break and spell in wheelchair
By Elizabeth Hunter
An RAF pilot has described a life-threatening plane crash that left him in a wheelchair after suffering two broken ankles and four broken ribs.
Iain Bright was piloting a small aircraft in July 2021 when his engine failed, giving him just five seconds to react as the plane began to fall a staggering 100 feet.
The 58-year-old’s plane plummeted towards the ground, crashing at Easterton Airfield, near Elgin - narrowly avoiding a grassy mound that he said would have been "almost certainly" fatal to hit.
"The engine just quit, which meant I went from max power to nothing with no warning," Iain said.
"This grassy mound that jutted out of the airfield was right in front of me. I knew if I hit it the impact would kill me.
"I knew I was crashing, and I knew it was going to be severe. The option in front of me of hitting the mound would have almost certainly been fatal."
Iain was knocked out from the crash, regaining consciousness after a few minutes.
As he dragged himself from the wreckage of the plane, he could tell he was seriously injured - and would later find out he had two broken ankles, four broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung, as well as suffering from internal bleeding.
He managed to phone a friend who had been with him at the airfield, but hadn't seen the crash.
The plane was "shredded," with parts scattered across the airfield. The windscreen had exploded, lodging a large shard of glass into Iain's face - but thankfully, his eyes had been protected by his visor.
"When I came to, my legs were in the grass," Iain said. "I could see the sole of my left foot, so I knew that it was badly broken.
"The windscreen had exploded on impact. Thankfully my eyes were protected by my visor, but I couldn’t undo my chin strap.
"Then I realised there was a large shard of windscreen stuck in my chin.
"Once I pulled that out, I managed to crawl free of the wreckage.
"My friend – who was a doctor – arrived and saw the wreckage everywhere. He then called for medical help.”
Emergency services, including an air ambulance, arrived at the scene within 10 minutes, airlifting Iain to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The journey took just 20 minutes, compared to the one and a half hours it would have taken by road. Iain credited Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance for making the journey as easy as possible.
“The pain started to hit as soon as I knew help was on the way," said Iain.
"I think the adrenaline was wearing off. SCAA’s Helimed 79 was on the scene quickly with several other emergency service vehicles.
"The paramedics gave me pain relief and put my left leg – which was in bad shape – into an inflatable splint.”
After an intensive three weeks in hospital, with medics rebuilding his ankles, Iain has endured a three-year recovery, spending months in a wheelchair after surgery.
“I couldn’t put any weight on my feet for four months,” Iain said.
"I was in a wheelchair for a long time. Because the left ankle had almost been torn off and reattached, it was badly damaged at the joint.
"I went from being a very active, sporty person to literally not being able to do anything, which was really difficult.”
Now, able to walk again, Iain has begun a 100-mile challenge - raising £1500 for the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance as a thanks for their efforts to help him.
"If SCAA weren’t there and I was just relying on a land ambulance, I think it would have been a horrible journey.
"To the crew who helped me, I would like to say thank you for being so prompt and professional. I hope SCAA are always there for anyone who needs them.
"You just never know when you wake up that something bad could happen to you that day."
