Teenager Ryan Birch survived Isle of Wight plane crash but died in fire

Ryan Birch and his father Tony Birch, 52, from Wolverhampton, were flying to France in the Piper Cherokee light aircraft when they died as it crashed close to the Isle of Wight Airport in Sandown on August 5, 2007.

The plane had left Tatenhill airfield, Staffordshire, earlier that day and had stopped at the Isle of Wight on its way to Pontivy in Brittany.

Also killed in the crash were the pilot Martin Rhodes, 48, of Stoke-on-Trent, and another passenger, Simon Marshall, 51, of Lichfield, Staffordshire.

The inquest at Newport on the Isle of Wight heard that Ryan was still alive when the plane hit the ground, but was likely to have been unconscious.

The other three men died of internal injuries suffered in the impact of the crash and all four suffered bad burns over their whole bodies, the inquest was told.

Eyewitness Robert Groom had been walking his dog when he heard the plane's engine stall and hit the ground with a ''thump''.

He said that with the help of another member of the public, he tried to pull one of the men out of the plane but realised he was already dead.

He added that he saw Ryan further back in the plane and that he was still alive.

He said: ''I could hear moaning a little bit and he opened his eyes but his eyes closed and he went completely silent.''

Pc Jeremy Evans, the first police officer on the scene, said that the plane was on fire and the bodies of the occupants were badly burned.

He said: ''The scene was one of complete carnage. There was absolutely no hope of any life in any of the bodies.''

The hearing was also told that the plane had been inspected for the sale three weeks prior to the crash and had passed the test.

No alcohol was found in the bodies of the four deceased during the post mortem examinations, the inquest heard.