Businessman feared dead in crash

A pilot, believed to be from Stourport, has died after his plane crashed in the Scottish Highlands.

Fears were growing today that the dead man was Gary Key, a multi-millionaire with interests in the construction industry. The light aircraft vanished from radar crossing the Cairngorms on Saturday.

Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and wreckage was discovered yesterday afternoon.

Investigators were today expected to comb the wreckage, which was found on Cairngorm Mountain, in an effort to find out why the plane crashed.

The plane had set off from Wolverhampton Airport at Bobbington on Friday destined for Carlisle, in Cumbria. The aircraft left there at around 9am on Saturday en route for Wick with only the pilot on board.

Today a friend of Mr Key, who asked not to be named, described him as an "experienced private pilot". He said he was due to continue his flight to America from Wick."

The friend added: "The aviation community in the West Midlands is very sad at this event, and our thoughts are with Mr Key's family.

"He was a well-known man and deserves recognition." The alarm was raised just before 11am on Saturday when the pilot, flying a Piper Saratoga, lost contact with air traffic controllers, sparking a large-scale search.

Search parties targeted a 50-square-mile area. The search was called off on Saturday night but resumed yesterday morning. Steve Wiltshire, director of operations Wolverhampton Airport, said he did not know the identity of the pilot.

A spokesman for the Northern Constabulary said: "Enquiries are ongoing in relation to tracing the pilot's next of kin, however the remains of one person have been traced within the wreckage."