Pilot Andrew Hill challenges Shoreham Airshow Disaster verdict

It comes after a ruling at an inquest into the disaster where a coroner said pilot Andrew Hill's flying had been "exceptionally bad".

Mr Hill was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter at a criminal trial, the High Court will now decide whether it allows his application.

At the inquest into their deaths last year, senior coroner Penelope Schofield concluded the men had died as a result of the manner in which the plane was being flown.

• READ MORE: Families of Shoreham Airshow victims speak out after coroner returns verdict

“The aircraft failed to reach the height required by a significant margin,” Ms Schofield said. “This was not a small misjudgement.”

Mr Hill carried on with the loop rather than abort or try to fly out of it, the coroner said.

“This goes beyond an error of judgement,” she said.

“Risk to life would have been clear and obvious.

“This was not a close call.

“There was no difficult judgement to make here.

The crash happened on August 22, 2015 (Image: Martyn Valentine)

“It should have been clear and obvious he was too low.

“His flying was exceptionally bad."

The 11 men died on August 22, 2015, after the Hawker Hunter jet crashed down on the busy A27 while performing a stunt.

The jet came out of a loop-the-loop manoeuvre too low and smashed into cars along the packed main road, erupting into a deadly fireball.

Hundreds witnessed the tragedy unfold.

Mr Hill spent the next month in hospital before being charged with 11 counts of manslaughter in March 2018.

Andrew Hill at the trial in 2019

He was cleared the following year.

Mr Hill spoke outside the court after the trial.

He said: “I am truly sorry for the part I played in their deaths, and it is all I will remember for the rest of my life.”

A spokesman for West Sussex Coroner's Service said: "The coroner has received a judicial review pre-action letter from Mr Hill regarding the Shoreham Airshow inquest conclusion into the death of 11 men."

People can challenge a coroner’s decision or the outcome of an inquest by making an application under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988, or an application for judicial review.