An inquest is due to open shortly on the death of a former Royal Navy pilot who police believe may have committed suicide by crashing his light aircraft into a Cornish cliff.
Falklands veteran Andrew Stillwell-Cox, 55, was killed instantly when his plane burst into flames on hitting the rock face above Portreath beach in West Cornwall on Saturday afternoon.
Police have confirmed that a note from the pilot was found at his flying club which indicated a possible suicide.
However, officers have also said that the plane may have suffered a possible mechanical failure.
The Air Accident Investigations Branch has been informed of the incident and investigations at the scene are ongoing.
In the meantime, a file is being prepared for the Cornwall coroner.
An inquest has not yet been opened, but it is understood that this will take place shortly.
Mr Stillwell-Cox joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15 and had served in the Falklands, where he was onboard HMS Glamorgan when it was hit by an exocet missile.
He also served on missions to Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq, receiving long service and good conduct medals.
Since his last posting at RNAS Culdrose, near Helston, he had been working as a training manager for St Austell-based Roselyn Coaches.
Witnesses have described how they watched in horror from Portreath beach as the plane piloted by Mr Stillwell-Cox flew “straight and low” before colliding with the cliff face.
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