Brian, I'm afraid that Nigegilb has it about right when he says that for the MOD to now allow an appeal in this case would open up a Pandora's Box for them. The understandable preoccupation of this thread has been to restore the reputations of two experienced and gallant pilots. In effect those reputations are held hostage by the MOD. If they are restored then the obvious question re-emerges. Who and/or what was responsible for this accident? The MOD knows that would shine a light into murky corners, as it has on the Nimrod and Hercules threads, as it has in fatal accidents on Tornado, Sea King and others. The connection in all these accidents, and possibly this one, is airworthiness or rather lack of. The judge and jury in this court room is also the chief suspect. I would not expect from the MOD; "I dunnit, I dunnit, I dunnit, its a fair cop, cor blimey you've got me banged to rights and no mistake, guvnor". Restoring the reputations of these two pilots is a noble cause, granted. Restoring the proper enforcement of UK Military Airworthiness Regulations by wresting them away from the MOD into an independent MAA will save many lives and avoid wholly unnecessary accidents in the future. I submit that is an even worthier cause.