Inquest: 'Rotorblade downwash did not cause plane crash'
BBC NEWS report
Runway crash death 'accidental'
A man from London lost control trying to land his plane in Cornwall and died after it crashed, an inquest has ruled.
Banker Hugh Paton, 43, was piloting a Cessna plane when it nose-dived into RAF St Mawgan's runway in June 2001. He died in hospital nine days later.
His family said the plane was caught in a "whirlwind" caused by a helicopter, but an aircraft accident inspector said it would not have caused the crash.
The inquest at Launceston Magistrates' Court ruled his death was an accident.
Mr Paton's wife, Julia, and two daughters, Charlotte and Elizabeth, were also on board the aircraft during the crash on 23 June 2001 but escaped with injuries after being freed by Mr Paton. He died of burns injuries nine days later.
Mrs Paton had earlier told the inquest their plane had been caught in a "whirlwind" caused by the helicopter.
But during the two-week hearing held in Cornwall, senior inspector of aircraft accidents Paul Hannant said that the rotor blades did not cause the crash.
Last year, the Ministry of Defence paid Mr Paton's family, from Highgate, north London, £5m in an out-of-court settlement but always denied liability for the accident.
After the verdict, spokesman for RAF St Mawgan Squadron Leader Dave Webster said he could not comment on the settlement.
He said: "The MoD greatly regrets the events that led to the death of Mr Paton.
"The evidence brings closure for all of the parties concerned."
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death and said that the aircraft lost control during the landing.
Earlier Western Morning News report:
AIRCRAFT SPECIALIST RULES OUT RAF BLAME
An aircraft accident specialist has told an inquest that the downwash from an RAF helicopter's rotor blades did not cause a plane to crash, killing its pilot.
The inquest continued this week into the death of Hugh Paton, who died when the Cessna plane he was flying crash landed at RAF St Mawgan in June 2001.
Mr Paton suffered extensive injuries and burns and died days after the accident. His wife and two daughters were also injured in the crash but made a full recovery.
This week the Launceston inquest heard from Paul Hannant, a senior AAIB inspector of aircraft accidents, who conducted a full review of the circumstances of the accident.
Mr Paton's wife Julia had earlier told the inquest that she believed the aircraft had been caught in a "whirlwind" caused by a Sea King helicopter which was hovering near the runway at the time of the crash.
Under cross examination Mr Hannant was asked whether the rotor downwash from the helicopter could have affected the aeroplane when it first lost control - he said that it could not.
Mr Hannant said "It may have had an effect but it is not an effect that could have caused the crash."
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Last edited by Heliport; 24th Feb 2006 at 13:43.