A WOMAN pilot who died when her light aircraft crashed near Dunkeswell Airfield on Friday (June 26) has been named by family and friends as mother-of-four Nicola Wright, aged 44, from Dorset.

Mrs Wright’s aircraft came down about 400 yards short of the airfield’s runway, near the Flightway Business Park, and burst into flames shortly after 10 am.

She was the only person on board and was declared dead at the scene.

Mrs Wright’s death has seen an outpouring of love and grief on social media as family and friends paid tribute to her, as first reported by Dorset Eye, an independent not-for-profit citizen-powered news website.

They described her as an experienced aerobatic pilot, skydiver, diver, and mountain climber, and said she was admired for her skill, determination, and passion for challenging pursuits.

Mrs Wright and her husband Graham, from near Dorchester, founded Weymouth-based Medisave (UK) Ltd in 1999, which has grown to become a world leader in the medical supplies market.

The firm supplies medical equipment and healthcare products to NHS hospitals, clinics, doctors’ surgeries, and emergency services across Britain.

It is also committed to supporting people providing medical care in and around Ukraine and offers supportive pricing for humanitarian and medical relief efforts in the war-torn country.

On its website, the company said: “We also deeply care about the environment and want to do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint.

“This includes taking action ourselves, making sure we work with green suppliers, and giving our customers the right choices when it comes to conscientious buying.”

Devon and Cornwall Police said the Air Accident Investigation Branch had been notified of the incident.

Supt Jo Arundale appealed for anybody with relevant footage which might help the investigation into the crash to call 101, or visit the force’s website, quoting log 268 of 26 June.