No charges over Red Arrow pilot seat death

Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, 35, was fatally injured after being ejected from his Hawk T1 aircraft while on the ground at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, on November 8, 2011.

The parachute on the ejector seat did not deploy and the South African-born airman later died in hospital.

Lincolnshire Police handed over a file concerning the Iraq veteran’s death, but the CPS today said no charges would be brought in relation to Flt Lt Cunningham’s death.

Alison Storey, specialist prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said there was insufficient evidence to establish that any individual or the Ministry of Defence breached their duty of care to Flt Lt Cunningham in relation to the servicing of the equipment.

She also said there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction of Martin Baker Ltd in relation to the manufacture of the parachute.

Following the incident, the RAF grounded all non-essential flying of aircraft fitted with the Mk10 Martin Baker-built ejector seat ‘’as a precaution’’, but flights later resumed in December 2011, with air chiefs saying they had ‘’no remaining safety concerns’’.

Ms Storey said she had carefully reviewed all the evidence, and had considered charges against three individuals, as well as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Martin Baker Ltd.

“After carefully reviewing all of the evidence I have concluded that no charges should be brought in relation to the death of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, a Red Arrows pilot who tragically died after being ejected from his stationary aircraft on November 8, 2011,” she said.

A pre-inquest review into Flt Lt Cunningham’s death is set to take place on Friday at the Lincoln Cathedral Centre, Lincoln.