FAMILY and friends have been paying tribute to a North Yorkshire pilot, killed in a plane crash in America.

Ian Robertson, 41, died when his aircraft hit a mountain in New Mexico.

He was flying alone, carrying cargo from a base in Durango, Colorado.

Yesterday, his mother Edith, who still lives in Richmond, said she took comfort from the knowledge he died while doing a job he loved.

"Ian was a dreamer, and we were so pleased he was doing what he wanted. He was never one for a nine-to-five job. He was such a lively lad," she said.

Mr Robertson was a former pupil of Richmond School, but left after his O-levels to work at the Fairfields shoe factory.

Family friend, Pauline Taylor, said: "The job was a way of making money. He also worked at the King's Head for a while.

"He was a free spirit even then, and hearing he had been killed was a massive shock. Breaking the news to Edith was the hardest thing I've had to do."

Mr Robertson set his sights on flying. After slight colour-blindness prevented him training in the UK, he went to America, where he met and married his wife, Diana, in 1997. After qualifying as a pilot in the US, he joined the Durango Air Service, and began flying freight from city to city.

He was still keen to progress and was aiming for a position with a bigger company.

Speaking from America yesterday, Mrs Robertson said: "His contract with Durango expired on Sunday, just five days after he died. We were going to fly to England to visit in November, and then Ian was going to try for new jobs.

"Instead, his memorial service was on October 16 - my birthday. I was inspired by the number of people who came, as I never knew he'd touched so many people's lives.

"I still find it hard to understand that he has gone.''

The family plans a memorial service in North Yorkshire, although a time and place have yet to be confirmed.