He added: 'It was clearly appropriate to bring these charges and for Mr Hill to stand trial. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The families want answers. In September 2007, James Bond stunt pilot Brian Brown was killed when his Hawker Hurricane crashed in a fireball after he failed to pull out of a dive during a mock dogfight at Shoreham. In a 2005 case often cited by lawyers, a judge told the jury they must consider the defendant's actions to be 'reprehensible' to constitute gross negligence. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. His record shows him to be among the most skilled of his peers and, in his own words, he was "creamed off the top" to fly a Harrier jump jet - viewed as one of the most difficult planes to master. IT consultant Mr Archer, a father of two who lived in Brighton, and Mr Smith, who lived in Hove, were due to meet up with a third friend to head out for a cycle ride in the South Downs. Combining his twin passions of computing and aviation, Mr Hill developed a digital version of the Harrier's operating manual that was cleared for use by the MoD. Known as EasyBid, it was used by more than 1,900 pilots at its peak. The Shoreham air crash pilot said today that he would remember the 11 victims of the disaster for the rest of his life, as families of those who died hit … A report in 2017 into the Shoreham air disaster found it was caused by the pilot flying too slow and too low during a loop manoeuvre. Prosecutors had claimed the 2015 crash was due to 'pilot error' and although Mr Hill was normally considered 'careful and competent', he had taken 'risks' in the past, suggesting he sometimes played 'fast and loose' with the rules and may have had a 'more cavalier attitude to safety than was appropriate'. In the 90 days before, he flew in 33 displays and practice displays. Shocking images captured the Hawker Hunter jet exploding into a fireball after it plunged from the skies and smashed onto the A27, a dual carriageway packed with cars on the sunny August afternoon. VideoThe petrol that was poisoning children, Racing to screen the ‘fake heiress’ story1, President Biden to declare major disaster in Texas2, Alaska woman attacked by bear while using toilet3, Google fires AI ethics founder Margaret Mitchell4, Kim Kardashian 'files to divorce Kanye West'5, Remarkable photo of Mars rover during landing6, America is back, US secretary of state tells BBC7, Striking news pictures from around the world8, Osaka beats Brady to win Australian Open9, Princess Latifa 'being cared for' - Dubai royals10. Their boss had let them leave early to enjoy the hot weather and they were driving to the beach in Mr Jones's car. 'The jury's view is that he is not guilty of the charges that were brought against him and we respect that decision. Shoreham plane crash: Pilot in critical condition after military jet hits road in England during air show. A Hawker Hunter plane has crashed at Shoreham Air show in West Sussex, England. It has to be remembered that this is a leisure industry, it is not a necessity. Sue and Phil Grimstone, whose son Matthew, 23, was among the 11 who died in the crash, said they were 'devastated' and called for bans on future air shows. Father-of-six Mr Trussler, a window cleaner from Worthing, had taken his motorbike for a spin on the day of the tragedy as he had also wanted to see the Vulcan flight. An official Government report into the accident, published in 2017, found the crash was caused by pilot error when Mr Hill flew too low and too slowly while carrying out the bent loop manoeuvre, and could have been avoided. Hill, now 54, is a Cambridge graduate who was top of the class in the RAF, winning competitions for his flying and being given the military nickname 'The Prof'. The law on gross negligence manslaughter is seen as quite difficult to prove because it involves a four stage test. September 2 - The identities of all 11 victims are officially confirmed as an inquest is opened and adjourned by West Sussex senior coroner Penelope Schofield. 'I hope this trail has gone some way towards doing that.'. Pilot who crashed plane doing trick while 1,000ft too low acquitted. A 63-year-old pilot dies as his light aircraft collides with another plane in the air and crashes near Shoreham Airport in West Sussex. Hill, who now lives in Sandon, Buntingford, in Hertfordshire, suffered serious injuries and was placed into an induced coma before being discharged from hospital a month later. News. Team-mates said Mr Schilt was a 'tenacious midfielder' with an eye for a goal. Crash involving a plane near Shoreham Airshow in West Sussex View gallery The site adds: “He instructs on the Jet Provost, Extra 300 and … He is taken to hospital and put in an induced coma before being discharged a month later. Speaking outside the court, Detective Inspector Jon Fanner defended the decision to put Hill on trial. Cuomo's nursing home scandal. The nose it up but it is still falling, As the plane hit the ground, a fireball quickly spread along the road as the speed of the jet took it half a mile along the road, To the crowd's horror, thick black smoke rose up from the road as the full scale of the crash began to dawn on those present, The smoke caused the fire quickly rose into the air, visible along the south coast on what was a clear summer's day, A huge clear up and investigation ensued. They claimed he had, at times, a 'cavalier' attitude to safety and a history of taking risks, having played 'fast and loose' with the rules in the past. Everything to him was family, I think due to his Italian heritage. He miraculously survived the air crash after being thrown clear from the burning wreckage into brambles. Investigators at the scene of the crash on the A27 during the week after the plane came down. The pilot of a plane which crashed during the Shoreham Airshow, killing 11 people, has been cleared of manslaughter. He said:  '1,295 days ago I lost control of an aircraft resulting in the deaths of Maurice Abrahams, Graham Mallinson, Mark Trussler, Dylan Archer, Richard Smith, Tony Brightwell, Mark Reeves, Matthew Grimstone, Jacob Schilt, Matt Jones, Daniele Polito. He added: 'It has been a long and complex trial and we feel that the success of Mr Hill's defence of cognitive impairment could establish a worrying precedent and have far-reaching consequences.'. ', Pictures from the aftermath of the crash showed debris strewn across the two-lane road, An accident report showed how the plane failed to keep altitude as it dropped out of the loop. Relatives of those killed said they felt 'let down' and 'denied justice' after Mr Hill walked free from the Old Bailey today. It also concluded that measures taken to mitigate the effects of an aircraft crashing outside the boundary of the air show were 'ineffective' and contributed to the severity of the incident’s toll. Mr Archer, who grew up in the Midlands, had a lifelong passion for bikes and cars, and rode the bike he made himself on the day he died. The outfit was led by Dan Arlett, who was described at Mr Hill's trial as one of the RAF's most experienced fighter pilots who now helps prepare the next generation of frontline airman by posing as hostile aircraft in simulated dogfights. 'He was full of life, a joker, he was extremely family orientated. November 30 - The coroner says prosecutors have been provided with a complete case file and are to decide whether criminal charges will be brought. Mrs Polito said: 'If there's anything good about it, which there isn't, it's that it was all instant. ', A piece of the wreckage is winched from the scene after the Shoreham air crash. He had fractured his nose, ribs and part of his lower spine and suffered a collapsed lung and serious bruising among other injuries. Daniele was never able to meet his youngest son, Jaxson, who was born after he died, Mrs Polito said. It was what paramedics described as 'utter devastation' obliterating vehicles on the busy road and leaving survivors fleeing for their lives, many suffering with terrible burns. Going straight into the RAF afterwards, he won a competition when flying a Jet Provost and was a top performing student. It was in the minutes and hours that followed as the death toll from the disaster slowly rose, and the grim reality of what so many had witnessed became clear. It would prove to be a tragic foreshadowing. As electricity slowly returns to Texas, many residents still do not have access to running water. Mr Hill has not spoken publicly about the disaster - save for giving evidence at his own trial - and those closest to him have declined to comment. But Hill conceded he had only limited experience in the Hunter. Eighteen months before Andy Hill crashed an ex-military jet and killed 11 men outside the Shoreham Airshow, the former RAF and British Airways pilot's aerobatic prowess featured in … Father Daniele Polito, from Worthing, was travelling in the same car as personal trainer Matt Jones when tragedy struck. "At one stage when I was chatting to him I almost thought this guy was close to having a complete breakdown and may even be close to taking his own life," he said. The Shoreham air crash in 2015 was the deadliest for 63 years, yet stunt pilot deaths and injuries have been a regular feature of shows in England over the past 100 years. 'Perhaps his lawyers had told him not to say anything about any sort of remorse but it just seemed that it was almost like he was lecturing us rather than taking responsibility for it. 'To give the families what they want - which is a thorough, frank investigation into how their loved ones died - the only way forward is a wider investigation into all those things as well. Telling the court he was 'reasonably academic' and an A-grade pupil at school, Hill was allowed to enrol at Cambridge University without taking the entrance exam, attending Christ's College. Experts say the law is so tight to avoid people being given long jail sentences over legitimate accidents. A lifetime member of the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex, married father Mr Mallinson had recently developed an interest in photographing vintage aircraft. I think the fascination with flying is such that people do get the bug. Is business the 'path to peace' in the Middle East? He was a private and loving family man, they added. Andrew Hill, 51, was attempting to … "I've never known him as an arrogant person.". January 24, 2017 - The CAA agrees to accept all the safety measures made by the AAIB in the wake of the tragedy, meaning stricter safety rules for pilots and organisers, after it initially rejected almost half of the recommendations. Ms Stewart said the criminal trial of pilot Andrew Hill for manslaughter by gross negligence had put inquests 'on hold'. The plane came down on the A27 after attempting a loop-the-loop near the south coast town, Footage filmed by spectators showed the 1950s Hawker Hunter seconds before the crash. March 3 - The AAIB publishes its findings in a 219-page report following one of its longest investigations in recent years. In his later years, he enjoyed working for East Sussex-based Chariots Chauffeurs as well as gardening. "I think he has had to work really hard to give himself enough confidence to even stand on the witness stand.". Catherine Burton, the most experienced female BA captain at the time of her retirement in 2017, said that, as a result of the software, he was more widely known than a typical pilot. With experienced display pilot Alister Kay, he launched a two-man formation flying team, known as the RV8Tors, a punning portmanteau of "RV8" and "aviators". Pilot survives. "It probably makes him a little more introvert than the average... probably verging on the nerdy.". Just three years later, the pilot of a Hawker Hunter was killed during a fly-by at the same venue which was witnessed by Princess Margaret and 4,000 other spectators.