World’s biggest aircraft crashes in Bedfordshire

The world’s largest aircraft has crashed during its second test flight since being revamped in the UK.

The 92-metre-long (302ft) Airlander 10 - part plane, part helicopter, part airship - was damaged after reportedly hitting a telegraph pole at its base at Cardington airfield, Bedfordshire, on Wednesday morning.

Photographs emerged showing the aircraft on the ground with its nose pointing downwards.

Hybrid Air Vehicles, which is developing Airlander 10, issued a statement on Facebook that said: ‘We’re debriefing following the second test flight this morning. All crew are safe and well and there are no injuries.’

The Airlander was first developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft, but the British firm launched a campaign to return the craft to the skies after it fell foul of US defence cutbacks.

It is about 15 metres longer than the biggest passenger jets and uses helium to become airborne, travelling at speeds of up to 92mph.

The Airlander successfully completed its first test flight without incident on 17 August. It performed one lap of the airfield before landing about half an hour later.

That was set to be the beginning of 200 hours of test flights for the 44-metre-wide, 26-metre-high craft, which can stay airborne for about five days during manned flights.

HAV claims it could be used for a variety of functions such as surveillance, communications, delivering aid and even passenger travel.

It is also hoped an Airlander 50 will eventually be developed, which will be able to transport 50 tonnes of freight.