[News] Andy Hill - Shoreham Air disaster pilot still not interviewed

[beorhthelm]

I do wonder if the 'old boys' network have somewhat closed ranks and have advised him to delay commenting for as long as possible, and no doubt he is still affected (I will not use the BS term traumatised) by what has happened. But the investigating agencies have a DUTY to get as many answers as possible for the victims families as soon as is possible.

and one might assume that due to that duty any suggested closing ranks is nothing to do with it, and that the authorities are taking advise that he is not fit to be interviewed.

 

[drew]

If he's not adequately insured does the compensation issue then revert back to the Airshow organisers?

What makes you think the flight wasn't adequately insured?

 

[Easy 10]

Out of interest, the police might not have spoken to him as it could be that it is not their responsibility to do so. The Air Accident Investigation Branch are the ones investigating.

People died. Of course its their responsibility to question him.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

People died. Of course its their responsibility to question him.

That will depend on a coroner's inquest.

 

[dazzer6666]

Despite knowing f*ck all about medicine or aircraft accident investigation, I feel the need to offer some half-arsed opinion about this subject.

Pretty much this.

 

[saltdeanseagull1]

I am not sure this subject is really suitable for a thread to be honest.

Why?

 

[mikeyjh]

I find all the calls for a police interview slightly bizarre, what on earth is he going to tell them? I think we know where he was on the afternoon of 22nd Aug etc etc, the AAIB will share their opinion, and theirs is pretty much all that matters. FWIW, can't imagine what state the pilot is in and how he'll possibly cope with recounting the day....

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Why?

Post 12 on this thread puts it very well.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

(1) He has to be deemed officially fit to be interviewed by medical professionals.

(2) It doesn't depend on an inquest, as the inquests into the deaths will all (I assume) have been opened and adjourned at the present time. Inquests will only take place after the investigation is complete.

(3) The families of those deceased are all well aware of the situation and are being kept updated re all of this.

 

[TheJasperCo]

Sorry to re-open old wounds, but just to add an update to this thread: Pilot Volunteers Himself for Questioning by Police

Important to note he has not been arrested, but was interviewed under caution.

 

[Seagulls1984]

How much has this tragic accident contributed to Brightons unbeaten start!! Really pulled everyone together after .

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'm still staggered that the manoeuvre was performed directly above a busy dual carriageway. Why bring that into the equation? Do the stunt over open fields, it's the pilot's choice to do the stunt, if it ends badly then the grief is confined to his friends and family.

I'd be surprised if the public ever got to hear his testimony.

 

[Driver8]

I'm still staggered that the manoeuvre was performed directly above a busy dual carriageway. Why bring that into the equation? Do the stunt over open fields, it's the pilot's choice to do the stunt, if it ends badly then the grief is confined to his friends and family.

I'd be surprised if the public ever got to hear his testimony.

I agree it does seem to have been a very avoidable tragedy.

 

[perseus]

Pilot interviewed in Shoreham Airshow investigation
http://www.shorehamherald.co.uk/news/pilot-interviewed-in-shoreham-airshow-investigation-1-7123548

 

[yxee]

The pilots union have closed ranks, they claim the physical injuries have healed but the mental ones have not.

Bugger the relatives.

I'm sure a union closing ranks would not stop a police interview were it deemed necessary in any investigation.

 

[symyjym]

My dad, a retired RAF engineer who has worked for many years on that very aircraft (the Hawker Hunter), took one look at the footage and said (in his opinion) the pilot screwed up. Started the loop way too low for the conditions - no clouds, clear and warm conditions = less air traction for the aircraft to pull up. Not unlike a cricket ball - cloud cover and cooler conditions means thicker air and more traction for swing, and the same principles apply. On that day there was no cloud at all, warm clear conditions, and so thinner air - pilots are supposed to allow for that. Its an OPINION, not fact of course, but from the footage, that aircraft was pulling up (ie no engine failure), but way too late. A catastrophic misjudgement, cutting the margins too fine.

Quite apart from the fact that performing a loop-the-loop along the path of a major dual carriageway does not seem to be the most sensible of manoeuvres. His testimony will be interesting.

An extra 10 foot and he would have made it so there was a serious human miscalculation. Even completing the maneuver at 200 foot above a major dual carriageway would have been too close.

 

[AmexRuislip]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-35153660

Aircraft had out of date parts according to BBC news item.

 

[The Fifth Column]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-35153660

Aircraft had out of date parts according to BBC news item.

Bit misleading that headline from the BBC, Not sure an ejector seat with out of date firing cartridges and which may have still been fully functional would have had much bearing on the cause of the crash.

 

[CheeseRolls]

An extra 10 foot and he would have made it so there was a serious human miscalculation. Even completing the maneuver at 200 foot above a major dual carriageway would have been too close.

Some understatement !

He had permission to fly as low as 100 feet and perform stunts as low as 500 feet. I only have two questions.

1 How often is this ignored at airshows ?
2 Who is accountable for monitoring and reporting on breaches ?

This is the whole point of Health and Safety and what do we get ? A huge fuss and expense over so much trivial nonsense. This needs to be addressed.

 

[mikeyjh]

I'm still staggered that the manoeuvre was performed directly above a busy dual carriageway. Why bring that into the equation? Do the stunt over open fields, it's the pilot's choice to do the stunt, if it ends badly then the grief is confined to his friends and family.

I'd be surprised if the public ever got to hear his testimony.

Almost all of the larger aircraft's maneuvers take place, in part, over the A27, the size of the box that a plane needs to perform dictates this. It's the same story at all shows that the safest place to be is in the crowd as that's the only place they won't display over.