A REPORT has been published into a plane crash which led to the presumed death of an Alcester businessman.

Lee Rogers, who was the director of Simplify IT Solutions based in Springfield Business Park, is presumed to have died after his plane crashed into the English Channel in “freak weather conditions”.

Lee and his friend Brian Statham had taken off from Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon on the morning of April 2.

They were heading to Le Touquet, a seaside town in northern France when their Piper PA-28R G-EGVA lost radar contact before crashing into the English Channel.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has published its final report on the incident which has confirmed initial findings that the pilots lost control of the aircraft when it entered cloud.

The report states: “A line of highly convective cloud was forecast on the intended route in the English Channel.

“As G-EGVA approached the middle of the Channel, one of its two occupants, who were both pilots, reported to London Information that they were in cloud.

“The aircraft was operating under visual flight rules and neither of the pilots was qualified to fly in cloud.

“Shortly after this transmission, the aircraft disappeared from radar. An extensive search of the area was coordinated by the UK and French Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centres but neither the aircraft nor its occupants were found.

“It is likely control of the aircraft was lost when the aircraft entered the convective cloud.”

Neither Lee nor Brian was qualified to fly in cloud.

The search for the two men was called off on April 3 and Lee’s family said they has no choice “but to assume Lee has passed on.”.

Previously, Lee’s family have described him as a “larger than life character who lived life to the full” and a man “with a big heart and limitless generosity.”