Ex-RAF airman Andy Hill – who was piloting a Hawker Hunter jet when it crashed into a dual carriageway and killed 11 men – has seen his latest effort to regain his licence blocked
Ten years after 11 men were killed in one of the worst air show disasters in British history, their families say they can finally have peace knowing the pilot will never fly again.
A last ditch bid for a judicial review by Shoreham disaster airman Andy Hill to regain his flying licence has been refused. Ex-RAF serviceman Mr Hill, 60, survived the devastating 2015 fireball and has been trying to get back in the skies.
A coroner blamed him for the crash which killed 11 men at an inquest in 2022, three years after an Old Bailey jury cleared him of manslaughter. Mr Hill appealed against the Civil Aviation Authority decision not to restore his flying licence. Their decision not to let him fly again was upheld following a two-day hearing last year.
For a second time, the pilot started the process of applying for a Judicial Review of the CAA refusal to let him fly again. But families of the men who died ten years ago were told on Friday the application has been turned down.
Caroline Schilt, 64, and her husband Bob, 72, whose son Jacob, 23, was killed in the inferno as he travelled to play football with his friend Matthew Grimstone, 23, said: “We are greatly relieved to hear that Andrew Hill has been refused the opportunity to take out a judicial review against the CAA. We attended the hearing in London at which the CAA explained their reasoning for denying Hill his license.
“After the coroner’s conclusion found that the eleven men were unlawfully killed due to Hill’s diabolical flying, it seems to us that justice has finally been served by the refusal to renew his license. It has taken 10 years to finally bring peace to the eleven families whose lives were torn apart by this avoidable tragedy.”
Meanwhile Anthony Mallinson lost his father, retired engineer James Graham Mallinson, 72, in the disaster. He said: “We are delighted as a family to hear the news that Mr Hill’s latest Judicial Review against the CAA has been refused by the High Court and their decision to revoke all of his flying licences will remain unchanged.
“This will hopefully now enable us after nearly 10 years to finally be able to grieve for all of our loved ones in peace and we would now ask Mr Hill to fully respect that.”
Former British Airways pilot Mr Hill was attempting a loop manoeuvre in the vintage jet when he crashed on the A27 in West Sussex. The 1950s aircraft broke into four parts, destroying eight vehicles on the dual carriageway on August 22 2015.
Mr Hill, of Sandon, Herts, survived after being thrown clear but spent a week in an induced coma. In 2022, a coroner ruled all 11 who died were unlawfully killed and blamed Mr Hill’s poor flying. But he was cleared of 11 counts of gross negligence manslaughter charges during a trial at the Old Bailey.
The jury acquitted him of 11 counts of manslaughter after hearing he was cognitively impaired during the flight. Last year he claimed the decision to ground him was made to avoid bad publicity.
But at an appeal hearing in central London CAA experts blasted his actions and said he had “shown no remorse, admission of guilt or recognition of the events of that particular day”.
The Regulation and Review panel rejected his appeal to fly again in October. But the CAA later received a claim for a judicial review, which has now been blocked. Matthew Grimstone’s dad, Philip, said they believed the CAA were clear Hill’s poor flying skills and judgement led to the tragedy.
Phil Grimstone said: “Obviously we are relieved and hope that will now be the end of this. We believe that there is nothing to stop Mr Hill applying for a flying licence in another country, given the reasons the CAA gave for rejecting his licences here we hope that he is never allowed.”
The CAA was approached for comment.
