Newtownards air crash: Top businessman named locally as victim

Mr Murdock is believed to have been the pilot when the plane went down. The passenger, who is believed to have been a woman, has not yet been formally identified.

Mr Murdock was the founder and managing director of Craigavon-based business security company Envision Intelligent Solutions, with dozens of employees.

His company was acquired just months ago by the multinational conglomerate Johnson Controls.

The firm, which operates an A32 aircraft, offered its assistance in April last year as emergency services tackled wildfires in the Mournes as a charity effort - providing live video and imagery, reporting of fire movements, location of people in the mountains, reporting of wind direction and speeds to crews on the ground.

Both the deceased were members of the Ulster Flying Club, which operates out of the airfield in Newtownards.

The club yesterday paid tribute to both its members.

In a statement a spokesperson expressed “great sadness and regret” following the tragedy.

“The incident is being investigated now by specialist investigators from the PSNI and the Air Accident Investigation Branch of the CAA,” the spokesperson said.

“Whilst those investigations are ongoing, we can release no further information or details.”

The Ulster Flying Club added: “Our thoughts at this most terrible time are with the families and friends of the two people involved.”

The Air Accident Investigation Branch said in a statement yesterday that it had sent a team to Co Down following the crash.

Local political representatives described shock in the community at the tragedy.

DUP MLA Harry Harvey said his thoughts are with the two grieving families and all those associated with the flying club.

“The airfield is part of daily life in Newtownards. It is a valuable and busy facility used by people from a wide area.

“People are shocked by what has happened and the thoughts are with all those affected,” he said.

“There will obviously be a detailed investigation carried out and that will help shed light on what exactly occurred in this particular incident.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt said: “The airfield is a fixture of the town, situated right on the edge of the urbanisation, not miles and miles from the town centre.

“So on a daily basis we are all used to seeing light aircraft and helicopters overhead.

“This is, above all, a human tragedy and our thoughts are with the family members and friends who have lost loved ones.”

DUP MP Carla Lockhart said: “My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident.”

Alliance Party councillor Vicky Moore lives near the airport and visited the scene following the crash on Tuesday evening.

She said: “It is a huge shock to the community and obviously all our thoughts are with the families of those who have been affected and particularly those that have died in the accident.

“Really the airport here in Newtownards is part of the community, it is very busy, it has been a fixture in the town for a very, very long time.

“Local people are used to the activity at the airport and this will be a terrible shock to them.”

She added: “I live under the flight path, probably about 10-15 minutes’ walk away.

“I was at the scene last night. Police were preventing anyone from getting access to the airport but you could see that a number of emergency vehicles were there.

“This is a very rare occurrence bearing in mind the amount of activity there is at the airport.

“It is mostly flying schools who use it, pleasure flying, small, independent and private aircraft use it.

“The airfield is so popular, it is not expected that something like this would happen.”

Emergency services rushed to the scene following a 999 call on Tuesday evening. The PSNI said it was reported to police at 8.20pm