A pilot described as ‘the most humble man’ who died in a small aircraft crash can be pictured for the first time.
Mustafa Qays Obadey, 39, passed away alongside Arian Abbasi, 36, on Tuesday February 3 when their Cirrus light plane crashed into a field in Littleborough, Rochdale.
Mr Obadey’s family have now paid tribute to him in an emotional statement reading: ‘(He was) the most humble, kind man you’ll ever meet. A man made of peace.
‘The glue of the family and community. Always available and accepting for everyone. Thank you Mustafa.’
It comes after Mr Abbasi’s relatives revealed he had been due to start his ‘dream job’ as a commercial pilot before his passing.
They said: ‘He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength and support.
‘Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on February 23; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.’
The private aircraft the duo were flying left Birmingham Airport’s XLR Executive Jet Centre at around 10am on Tuesday.
It lost signal at 10.38am, according to tracking website FlightRadar24, which is likely the time it crashed.
Images circulated on social media appear to show a yellow parachute caught on a pylon near to the plane’s wreckage.
Reports suggest that one of the two men attempted to evacuate the plane using the parachute, but did not survive.
A force spokesman said investigations into the crash were continuing and officers were still searching for the part of the parachute system which contained the propellant.
The spokesman said: ‘The nature of the terrain, and the wide area over which it may have travelled, has made finding the device very difficult.’
The device, which helps deploy the parachute’s canopy, is described as measuring about 10cm in diameter and 30cm in length, with a red anodised finish.
It weighs less than 2kg and may have a silver metal collar attached at one end, police said.
Chief Superintendent Danny Inglis of Greater Manchester Police’s Rochdale district previously said: ‘This is a devastating incident where two people have lost their lives and our thoughts are with their families and friends.
‘We have been working closely with emergency service colleagues and partner agencies throughout the day to establish the full circumstances and we will be on scene overnight and into tomorrow.
Anyone who finds the propellant is advised not to handle it but to contact police immediately on 101 or through the live chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.
