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Red Arrows pilot Sean Cunningham inquest: Coroner delivers verdict Red Arrows pilot Sean Cunningham inquest: Coroner delivers verdict
(35 minutes later)
A coroner has described part of an ejection seat that threw a Red Arrows pilot to his death as "entirely useless".A coroner has described part of an ejection seat that threw a Red Arrows pilot to his death as "entirely useless".
Flt Lt Sean Cunningham was killed at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire after being accidentally ejected from his Hawk T1.Flt Lt Sean Cunningham was killed at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire after being accidentally ejected from his Hawk T1.
The inquest has heard that he was ejected because of a problem with the ejection seat firing handle.The inquest has heard that he was ejected because of a problem with the ejection seat firing handle.
Coroner Stuart Fisher has begun to deliver his verdict into the death.Coroner Stuart Fisher has begun to deliver his verdict into the death.
The 35-year-old pilot, who was born in South Africa and grew up in Coventry, died on 8 November 2011.
The inquest has heard that the ejection seat firing handle had been left in an unsafe position which meant it could accidentally activate the seat.
Testing of the Mk.10 Martin-Baker seat showed that the safety pin could be inserted even when the seat was in this unsafe position, giving the impression the seat was safe.
Mr Fisher said the safety pin mechanism was "entirely useless".
Seven RAF personnel had 19 opportunities to check the ejection seat firing handle, but did not notice it was in the unsafe position.
Mr Fisher said the "repeated failure to notice this" could only be due to the check "not being done at all or not done sufficiently carefully by each individual".