'The engine faild, so I thought I'll just have to land in a field' CRASH PILOT ON KEEPING COOL IN DISASTER:.

Byline: SARAH BARDON

A PILOT who had a miraculous escape when his plane crashed in a field said yesterday he doesn't want to be known as a hero.

Modest Kevin Higgins and his wife Rita were travelling from Prestwick in Scotland to their holiday home in Craughwell, Co Galway, when they ran into problems.

He said: "We were travelling along when the engine started to fail so I contacted Enniskillen to let them know I was in trouble.

"I managed to keep the plane going but I knew I wasn't going to make St Angelo Airport in Enniskillen so we had to land in a field.

"I wasn't scared at all. When you get your licence, they prepare you for these kind of events.

"It wouldn't have been any good if I started to panic because then we would have been in trouble. I'm no hero, I did what any pilot would do. I don't deserve any praise." The 61-year-old crash-landed in a field close to Irvinestown after managing to avoid Woodhill Hunting Lodge restaurant which was packed with families eating their Sunday lunch.

The cool-headed pilot, from Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon, then jumped out of the single-engine plane to get help for his injured wife.

She was transferred to hospital where Kevin said she is still recovering.

He added: "Rita is not too bad, she is still in hospital in Enniskillen but she is hoping to be released in the next few days. She is not badly hurt, she broke a small bone - I couldn't tell you which one but that is all. She is in good form."

Kevin and Rita were both lucky to walk away from the crash relatively unharmed but Kevin said he doesn't know what all the fuss is.

He said: "I'm no hero. I did what anybody would do. It was a standard landing.

"It wasn't really lucky, it was nothing really. Obviously, we are delighted to be walking away unharmed."

And now the hero can't wait to get back in his plane.

He said: "This won't put me off it at all. As soon as I get the money to fix the plane, I'll fix it and as soon as it is fixed, I will be right back in it."

A fellow flyer from Abbeyshrule Airport in Co Longford, where Mr Higgin's plane was based, said: "Kevin is a very good pilot with over 20 years' experience.

"He has never been a professional flyer but he has been in the air for years and brings his wife here to fly almost every weekend."

A local councillor added: "Rita and Kevin were very lucky and Kevin may not want to be a hero but he is."

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