Renowned BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew caused a brief scare among his followers last week after sharing a startling image on Instagram. The photograph showed a light aircraft completely flipped onto its back in the Australian outback.
A Social Media Alarm
The 65-year-old broadcaster, currently piloting his way around Australia with his wife Emma to follow the Ashes series, posted the picture with the simple, worrying caption: ‘Bugger...’. He also disabled comments on the post, which only served to heighten concerns that he might have been involved in a serious aviation incident.
Thankfully, Agnew was quick to clarify the situation and confirm he was safe and well. He explained that the aircraft, a Cessna 182 parked at an airfield in Orange, New South Wales, had been overturned by the extreme winds that battered the region late last week.
The Cause of the Mishap
Agnew, who holds a pilot's licence himself, revealed the unfortunate cause. The pilot of the light aircraft had forgotten to securely tie down the plane ahead of the severe windy conditions. As a result, the craft was caught by the gusts and flipped over, suffering visible damage to its wings and hull.
“Silly so and so didn’t tie down his aircraft!” Agnew stated in a follow-up Instagram post. His wife, Emma, who is documenting their trip in a blog titled ‘The Agnew's Ashes Adventure’, provided further context. She described the ferocious weather, noting that even their commercial Virgin Australia flight into Sydney last week was forced to abort its initial landing attempt due to the high winds.
A Dream Trip for Charity
The couple’s journey is not just about cricket. They are using the adventure to raise funds and awareness for Angel Flight, a not-for-profit aviation charity. This organisation arranges free non-emergency air travel for people in rural Australian areas who need to reach specialist medical treatment.
“I’ve been flying light aircraft for 20 years,” Jonathan wrote on their blog. “It’s an exhilarating hobby and having flown with instructors in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and even Guyana, my dream was to fly the Ashes. It is much simpler said than done!”
He credited two Australian friends, Don and Paul, for helping to link this long-held dream with the charitable cause. The Agnews have been sharing spectacular aerial photographs and videos of Australia's landscape throughout their trip.
After the windy drama in Orange, Agnew, Emma, and Australian sports commentator Jim Maxwell continued their journey inland aboard their Cessna 182. Emma wrote of flying over the Blue Mountains, gold mines, and lakes, landing successfully—unlike the unfortunate plane they found upon arrival.
No one was injured in the incident, which served as a stark reminder of the power of the Australian elements, even for a seasoned aviator like Jonathan Agnew.
