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| Red Arrows crash: pilot impaired by G-force, inquest hears | Red Arrows crash: pilot impaired by G-force, inquest hears |
| (21 days later) | |
| A Red Arrows pilot may have been incapacitated by the effects of g-force shortly before crashing into a field following an air show, his inquest has heard. | A Red Arrows pilot may have been incapacitated by the effects of g-force shortly before crashing into a field following an air show, his inquest has heard. |
| Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, is thought to have started to regain his faculties three seconds before the impact but it was too late to prevent his Hawk T1 crashing or for him to eject. | Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, is thought to have started to regain his faculties three seconds before the impact but it was too late to prevent his Hawk T1 crashing or for him to eject. |
| The inquest in Bournemouth was told that an inquiry carried out by military investigators had ruled out a mechanical fault causing the crash. | The inquest in Bournemouth was told that an inquiry carried out by military investigators had ruled out a mechanical fault causing the crash. |
| Egging – flying as Red 4 – crashed in August last year after the RAF's aerobatic team took part in the Bournemouth Air Festival. He had broken formation and was coming into land. | Egging – flying as Red 4 – crashed in August last year after the RAF's aerobatic team took part in the Bournemouth Air Festival. He had broken formation and was coming into land. |
| Flight Lieutenant Chris Lyndon-Smith – Red 2 – was flying just behind Egging and it became apparent that his colleague was "going down pretty quickly". He told the inquest: "I shouted on the radio: 'Four, check height'. I think I shouted it out to try to get Jon to react and get his aircraft away from the ground. | Flight Lieutenant Chris Lyndon-Smith – Red 2 – was flying just behind Egging and it became apparent that his colleague was "going down pretty quickly". He told the inquest: "I shouted on the radio: 'Four, check height'. I think I shouted it out to try to get Jon to react and get his aircraft away from the ground. |
| "I was looking down at his jet. At the time I didn't think I saw any change or reaction. That was the frustrating thing, at the time I was trying to tell Jon to check his height and I wasn't seeing a response from his aircraft. Being so low, I would have expected to see him pitch the nose up and apply some power … Jon was not reacting … he was not controlling the aircraft at that time. Whether right at the end he was, I don't know." | "I was looking down at his jet. At the time I didn't think I saw any change or reaction. That was the frustrating thing, at the time I was trying to tell Jon to check his height and I wasn't seeing a response from his aircraft. Being so low, I would have expected to see him pitch the nose up and apply some power … Jon was not reacting … he was not controlling the aircraft at that time. Whether right at the end he was, I don't know." |
| Egging's wife, Emma, told the inquest that before the display there had been a "buzz" among the pilots and their families and that Bournemouth was a highlight of their season. | Egging's wife, Emma, told the inquest that before the display there had been a "buzz" among the pilots and their families and that Bournemouth was a highlight of their season. |
| An eyewitness described the red-and-white Hawk T1 coming down into the field in a straight line before it "belly flopped, wobbled and skidded". Egging died instantly from multiple injuries so serious they would have been impossible to survive, the inquest heard. | An eyewitness described the red-and-white Hawk T1 coming down into the field in a straight line before it "belly flopped, wobbled and skidded". Egging died instantly from multiple injuries so serious they would have been impossible to survive, the inquest heard. |
| The inquest heard he had suffered a syndrome called "almost loss of consciousness" (A-Loc) due to the effects of G-force. The syndrome results in temporary incapacitation without full loss of consciousness, a hazard for fighter pilots. | The inquest heard he had suffered a syndrome called "almost loss of consciousness" (A-Loc) due to the effects of G-force. The syndrome results in temporary incapacitation without full loss of consciousness, a hazard for fighter pilots. |
| Wing Commander Mark Rodden, president of the military aviation authority inquiry, said Egging had experienced the G-force for a long period of time at high speed creating the "worst combination". | Wing Commander Mark Rodden, president of the military aviation authority inquiry, said Egging had experienced the G-force for a long period of time at high speed creating the "worst combination". |
| He said Egging had succumbed to G-force impairment and inadequate awareness of G-force was also a possible contributory factor to the accident. Two zips on Egging's G-suit – which help reduce the effects of the force – were slightly undone, although he could not say if this happened before or after the crash. The military inquiry ruled out mechanical fault as a factor in the crash. | He said Egging had succumbed to G-force impairment and inadequate awareness of G-force was also a possible contributory factor to the accident. Two zips on Egging's G-suit – which help reduce the effects of the force – were slightly undone, although he could not say if this happened before or after the crash. The military inquiry ruled out mechanical fault as a factor in the crash. |
| The coroner, Sheriff Payne, recorded a verdict of accidental death. | The coroner, Sheriff Payne, recorded a verdict of accidental death. |
| In a statement after the hearing, Egging's widow, Dr Emma Egging, said: "Jon's death, due to the effects of g-force induced impairment, was a tragic accident. | In a statement after the hearing, Egging's widow, Dr Emma Egging, said: "Jon's death, due to the effects of g-force induced impairment, was a tragic accident. |
| "I'm confident a full inquiry has taken place by the RAF and actions will be taken to help prevent such an accident happening again. Jon was a talented and dedicated pilot who absolutely loved flying. | "I'm confident a full inquiry has taken place by the RAF and actions will be taken to help prevent such an accident happening again. Jon was a talented and dedicated pilot who absolutely loved flying. |
| "He loved representing the country as part of the RAF Red Arrows and rose to every challenge with an indomitable spirit and an enthusiasm that was infectious. | "He loved representing the country as part of the RAF Red Arrows and rose to every challenge with an indomitable spirit and an enthusiasm that was infectious. |
| Egging's family have set up the Jon Egging Trust, which develops opportunities for young people who are under-achieving at school. | Egging's family have set up the Jon Egging Trust, which develops opportunities for young people who are under-achieving at school. |
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