'˜Much to answer for' as Shoreham disaster report blames pilot for crash that killed 11

Eleven people were killed on August 22, 2015, when Andrew Hill, 52, crashed a vintage jet onto the A27 in West Sussex during an air show.

The speed that the 1955 Hawker Hunter entered the manoeuvre was too low and it failed to use maximum thrust, the final report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found.

Responding to the report, the parents of victim Matthew Grimstone, 23, said the Civil Aviation Authority and the air show organisers “have got much to answer for”.

In a statement, they said: “Apart from anything that the pilot may have got wrong it is very evident the CAA and the Shoreham Air Show organisers have got much to answer for.

“Rules laid down by the CAA were quite clearly inadequate and those that were there were, in some cases, not fully adhered to by the air show organisers.”

Flight trials indicated the pilot could have pulled out of the stunt up to four seconds after the aircraft reached the top of the loop, but Mr Hill either did not perceive it was necessary or did not realise it was possible, the AAIB said.

The pilot had not received formal training to escape the manoeuvre and had not had his competence to do so assessed, the report found.

The speed, height and thrust followed in the Hunter were “very similar” to another aircraft that the pilot had flown during displays in the run up to the Shoreham event, AAIB principal inspector Julian Firth said.

He added that it was possible “the pilot recalled the wrong numbers, essentially mixing up the two aircraft.”

The severity of the outcome was found to be due to the “absence of provisions” to mitigate the effects of an aircraft crashing in an area outside the control of the air show organisers.

Mr Hill, from Sandon, Hertfordshire, survived the crash but suffered serious injuries. He is being investigated by Sussex Police for possible manslaughter.

He was interviewed on seven occasions by AAIB investigators but because of restrictions advised by his doctors they were not able to question him about his conduct during the flight, the AAIB said.

Mr Hill did not recall events between the evening of August 19 and regaining consciousness in hospital after the accident.

He was therefore able to describe his normal practice but not the events on the day of the crash.

The pilot was attempting a bent loop, in which the aircraft pitches up into a loop and then rolls before leaving the manoeuvre in a different direction to its entry.

His display authorisation permitted him to carry out aerobatics at a minimum altitude of 500ft and the normal technique would be to enter the loop at an airspeed of at least 350 knots and use maximum engine thrust to achieve a height of at least 3,500ft at the apex.

But Mr Hill flew at just 185ft at a speed of just 310 knots, reaching 2,700ft at the top of the loop.

Cockpit footage during the flight showed Mr Hill “alert and active”, with no suggestion he had passed out, investigators said.

Mr Firth said: “The aircraft crashed because at the top of its aerobatic manoeuvre it was too low to complete it.

“The reason that the results of this crash were so disastrous is because measures to protect the public were not effective.”

A number of recommendations were made by the AAIB to the Civil Aviation Authority for improving air show safety.

These include reviewing arrangements for the regulation of ex-military aircraft.

Sussex Police said it hopes to submit a file of material to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) before the next pre-inquest review on June 20.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Rymarz said officers will now begin looking at the AAIB’s report with their independent experts.

He said: “We have been waiting some time for this report and it will take us some time to review.

“Our progress has been dependent on this final report and as a result of the ruling in the High Court, much of the material contained in it has not been seen by the investigation team until now.

“We hope to do everything we can to submit a file of material to the CPS in advance of the pre-inquest review on June 20.

“As we have said before, this is an extraordinarily complex investigation, but we remain committed to finding answers for the families and friends of those who died.”

Organisers of the Shoreham air show said it was unlikely they will stage “the same or similar style event” in the future.

Colin Baker, one of the Shoreham air show directors, said: “The report clearly confirms that a series of errors by an experienced and fully authorised pilot were the cause of the tragic crash on August 22, 2015.

“The Shoreham Airshow has been an important part of the local community for 26 years, raising over £2 million for charity.

“The organisers always worked hard to ensure the event was both safe and successful.

“Our main aim in 2015 was to do just that, but there are findings in the report that will require further analysis and reflection.

“The report also contains important recommendations for the CAA, as well as the wider air show industry, and these must be noted carefully.”