A GP esacped a warning after he flew a plane too low over a built-up residential area without a valid pilot’s licence

Dr Andrew Beare-Winter took his light aircraft out on June 7 last year after the roof of the Westbrook Medical Centre where he works was vandalised.

The General Medical Council’s investigation committee, sitting in Manchester, heard yesterday, Wednesday, how the father-of-three took off from Trafford’s Barton Aerodrome in his Piper PA 32-300 to examine the damage to the centre.

Chapelford resident Neil Forshaw was disturbed by an ‘unusually loud’ aircraft noise and told the hearing how he saw the plane flying at around 300ft and thought it was going to crash.

He said: “I went outside to see what was happening and it became much louder and came across the estate.

“I was frightened and then angered when I found out it was not in distress.

“It was dangerously low.”

A Cheshire Police helicopter confirmed the siting of the Piper flying between 300ft and 500ft – 1,000ft being the minimum required in that area.

Dr Beare-Winter also needed a medical certificate to fly which had lapsed in October 2009.

In addition he flew the plane into Liverpool air space five times in 25 minutes, without obtaining the necessary clearance.

He pleaded guilty in January to three offences, the hearing was told, and was fined £5,000 by magistrates in Runcorn.

This was after Mr Forshaw complained to the Civil Aviation Authority.

The CAA investigated the matter and asked Dr Baere-Winter, who has had 400 hours of flying since 1998, to produce a medical certificate last October.

In the meantime, the doctor had gone for a medical exam four days after the flight but the CAA told him that was not adequate.

The GP claimed he had not realised the certificate was out of date, thinking it expired in September 2010.

Dr Beare-Winter said: “It was a genuine oversight due to having a massive workload.

“I accept my utter stupidity and as a doctor, I realise how bad this neglect was and I apologise.

“I would never have taken a flight if I had known my certificate had lapsed.”

After realising his mistake, Dr Beare-Winter handed his licence back to the CAA.

Professor Roger Green, chairman of the panel, said they accept that the case ‘fell below the threshold for impairment’ and ruled he should not be given a formal warning.

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian after the case, the GP said: “I am heartily relieved and delighted by this outcome.”