Two men were killed when the private plane plummeted to the ground
Two men were killed when the private plane plummeted to the ground(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Police have issued a major update amid ongoing investigations into a fatal plane crash in Rochdale last week. Emergency services were sent out to farmland near Blackstone Edge, Littleborough, shortly after 11am on February 3 to reports of a light aircraft crash.
The bodies of two men were recovered, with both pronounced dead at the scene. One of the men has since been identified as ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’ Arian Abbasi. The 36-year-old was among the two killed in the incident and was days away from starting ‘an exciting new chapter’ in his life as a commercial airline pilot, his family said.
The private Cirrus SR20 light aircraft had crashed around 40 minutes after taking off from Birmingham. Greater Manchester Police are continuing with their enquiries, along with specialist investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).
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It’s understood that ‘all lines of enquiry remain open’ into the cause of the fatal crash. It’s thought that the deployment of a parachute which later became stuck to a nearby pylon, is also forming part of the probe.
A large scene remained in place for a number of days, with police issuing an urgent ‘do not touch’ warning over a missing part of the plane that posed a serious risk if touched by members of the public.
Officers revealed they were searching for part of the parachute system which contains propellant. Members of the public were urged to contact police immediately if they found the small, 30cm device.
The device has been found(Image: GMP)
In an update, the force confirmed that the device had been found over the weekend. A member of the public had reported finding the parachute device on Saturday (February 7) and informed the police.
A statement said: “Following an appeal earlier this week regarding the aircraft crash in Littleborough on Tuesday 3 February, officers have found and safely retrieved the missing part of the parachute system. We’d like to thank everyone who contacted the police and helped in the search for this item.
“It was located in the evening on Saturday 7 February by a member of the public and we’d particular like to thank them for their support during this investigation.”
The aircraft involved, registered G-GXVV, was owned by Daedalus Aviation (Services) Ltd – a Birmingham-based company offering pilot training experiences. FlightRadar24 data shows the aircraft left Birmingham Airport before heading north. The final signal was sent around 40 minutes later near Marsden, West Yorkshire.
Witnesses are being asked to come forward to GMP. Details can be passed on by calling 101 or using Live Chat on GMP’s website, quoting log number 1056 of February 3, 2026.