Heat 'may have caused tragedy'

Wolverhampton businessman Tony Birch, aged 52, and his 15-year-old son Ryan, from Trescott, were killed along with fellow passenger Simona Marshall, 51, of Lichfield, and 48-year-old pilot Martin Rhodes, of Stoke-on-Trent.

Richard Steele, manager of the Isle of Wight airport where the Piper Cherokee nose-dived into a field moments after leaving the ground, said today: "The take-off did not appear normal – the plane was very slow in gaining altitude." The hot weather could have made the air less dense and provided less lift, say experts.

Investigators are now checking whether the plane was denied vital power as it left on the final leg of its journey to France at noon on Sunday, the hottest day of the year.

An expert said: "It was a very hot day with very little wind.

"Heat makes the air less dense and this reduces engine power and means the wings produce less lift.

"Lack of a headwind also reduces the speed which a plane can climb after take-off."

The Isle of Wight airport has an 884-metre runway and the four-seater Piper Cherokee was carrying its maximum number of passengers.

Mr Steele said: "The plane had an uneventful landing before those on board spent around an hour on the ground.

"Why it did not take off normally is a matter for the investigators and could take months to resolve."

Mr Birch, a concrete mixer owner-driver and builder who was brought up in Featherstone, and his son were flying to France to join his wife Lesley in Brittany.

Mr Birch had stayed behind with Ryan, who had wanted to take part in a water skiing event at Chasewater, Burntwood, on Saturday.

He was a rising star in the sport.

Coroner's officer Richard Leedham said their bodies would not be flown back to Wolverhampton until an inquest had been opened, either on Friday or the Monday.

A Home Office pathologist will be carrying out post mortems on Thursday.

He said an inquest was expected to take place on Friday or Monday next week.

By John Scott and Becky Sharpe