Derbyshire residents spot 'dangerously low' plane in the sky - this is why it was there

Derbyshire residents out enjoying the glorious sunshine last week also had an unexpected surprise.
By Dan Windham
Published 29th Jul 2019, 11:55 BST
The plane over Sheffield - Credit: Kirsten SwiftThe plane over Sheffield - Credit: Kirsten Swift
The plane over Sheffield - Credit: Kirsten Swift

At around 8pm on Thursday, residents were shocked to see a huge low-flying plane flying over the area.

Some eye-witnesses said the plane was so low they could ‘see the pilot’s eyes’.

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The plane over Sheffield - Credit: Kirsten SwiftThe plane over Sheffield - Credit: Kirsten Swift
The plane over Sheffield - Credit: Kirsten Swift
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Residents in Dronfield and Chesterfield as well as further afield in Beighton, Aston, Catcliffe, Halfway and Waterthorpe, all spotted the plane with some estimated it was flying as low as 1000ft.

The plane in question was a Boeing 727-2S2F, flying from Lasham Airfield in Hampshire before landing at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

There are two aircraft which have the capacity to respond to oil spills where they may occur in the world.

The planes are filled with internal tanks, pumps and a spray boom to deliver dispersant liquid.

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The first aircraft, G-OSRA, is now stationed at Robin Hood Airport; ready to respond to incidents anywhere in the world within a four-hour notice. The second aircraft, G-OSRB, ha also been readied for service and is also stationed at the airport.

They are flown by specialist crews and approved to fly at 150ft by the UK CAA.

Related topics:DerbyshireResidentsCatcliffeChesterfield