27 December 2023

Shoreham air crash pilot ‘has applied to get flying licence back’

27 December 2023

The pilot involved in the Shoreham Airshow disaster has reapplied for his flying licence, it is understood.

Eleven men were killed when Andrew Hill crashed into the A27 road while performing a manoeuvre at the event in West Sussex on August 22 2015.

His licence was suspended by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) following the incident in a Hawker Hunter plane.

He shouldn’t be anywhere near a cockpit

The makers of a television documentary, Fatal Flight: Shoreham, discovered he has applied for permission to resume flying, the Sun reported.

Anthony Mallinson, whose father Graham, 72, was one of those killed in the crash, told the newspaper this was causing “stress and worry” for the victims’ loved ones.

He said: “We were shocked but we weren’t entirely surprised either, knowing the character that he is.

“We all, as a collaborative of families, feel extremely strongly that he never has his pilot’s licence reinstated out of respect for all of us, the families and all of our loved ones lost.

“He shouldn’t be anywhere near a cockpit.”

Mr Hill was charged with 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence but, after a trial, was found not guilty in March 2019.

On December 20 2022, West Sussex senior coroner Penelope Schofield ruled at an inquest that his significant errors and “poor” flying led to the 11 men being unlawfully killed.

The CAA said in a statement: “Mr Hill’s UK licence is suspended and he remains unable to fly in the UK.

“We cannot comment publicly on whether or not an individual has applied for a UK licence.”

Fatal Flight: Shoreham is available on Discovery+ from Thursday.

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