Shoreham Airshow disaster pilot 'trying to regain flying licence'

Andrew Hill is asking the Civil Aviation Authority to reinstate his pilot’s licence more than eight years after his Hawker Hunter jet crashed onto the A27m killing eleven people.

The families of the disaster’s victims have criticised the decision and say the bid to fly again is prolonging their pain.

Anthony Mallinson, whose father Graham died in the crash, told The Sun: “You’d think, out of respect for all of our loved ones lost he would just let this one go now and just draw a line under it. We’re trying to draw a line under it.

“Why is he still continuing to put us through this stress and worry?

Flames and smoke from the crash (Image: Martyn Valentine)

“To try and want to fly, knowing how the world sees him as a pilot and what happened, you’d think he’d want to go away into a corner and not be heard of.”

An inquest last year concluded that the victims of the disaster were unlawfully killed, however Mr Hill was cleared of manslaughter in 2019.

Senior coroner Penelope Schofield said in her conclusion that Mr Hill’s flying was “exceptionally bad” and that the failed manoeuvre that led to the crash was “not a small misjudgement”.

Mr Hill attempted to loop the plane but carried on rather than aborting the flight and crashed onto the A27 near Shoreham Airport.

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The 59-year-old pilot’s bid to fly again has been revealed in a new documentary about the Shoreham Air disaster.

Fatal Flight: Shoreham was launched on Discovery+ today.

Phil Grimstone, whose son Matthew was also killed in the crash, told The Sun: “It’s the ninth Christmas without our loved ones, which is bloody hard because Matthew loved Christmas.

“Since then, Christmas is cold. You know? We got a couple of grandkids. So they help a lot. But it’ll never be the same again.

The Civil Aviation Authority will reportedly decide the outcome of Hill’s application in the new year.