A Chichester pilot who died when his helicopter crashed alongside his three passengers could have been disorientated by unexpected cloud.

Stephen Holdich, 49, and his passsengers millionaire Chelsea fan Phillip Carter, 44, Mr Carter’s son Andrew, 17, and another businessman Jon Waller, 42, all died when the craft crashed near Peterborough in the early hours of May 2 2007.

Mr Holdich, known by colleagues as “Captain Sensible” was flying his passengers back from Merseyside where they had been watching Chelsea play Liverpool An inquest into their death today heard the Twin-Squirrel helicopter was minutes away from its landing site in a field near the Carter home at Thornhaugh, Cambridgeshire when it crashed.

Accident investigator Nicholas Dann told the inquest in Peterborough how evidence suggested that Mr Holdich had been trying to fly under clouds in the minutes before the crash.

Mr Dann, who works for the Department of Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch, said the Met Office had forecast fine weather but low cloud had unexpectedly swept over the Thornhaugh area.

The inquest heard that Mr Waller had sent a text saying: "We have hit some really bad fog," about 15 minutes before the helicopter was due to land.

Mr Dann said evidence suggested that Mr Holdich had descended through the cloud and was flying low in an attempt to find his way to the landing site when he became disorientated.

Post-mortem tests showed that Mr Holdich had a "lesion" on his brain that could have triggered a blackout or epileptic attack.

Pathologist Nat Cary said he could not rule out the possibility that Mr Holdich had a "funny turn" - but the evidence suggested otherwise.

Investigators said Mr Holdich appeared to be in control of the helicopter although he was flying in "testing conditions".

Dr Carey said the likelihood was that the brain lesion had been coincidental and played no part in the accident, and Coroner Gordon Ryall was told that Mr Holdich had undergone regular medical checks but the lesion had not been spotted when he was alive.

A jury recorded verdicts of accidental death.

Mr Carter's widow Judith, 51, left the hearing without comment.

Mr Holdich's partner, Wendy Rofe, said the "details" were hard to comprehend.

"Although there was fog, Steve had flown many times before, both day and night, in similar conditions and was highly qualified to deal with them," she said.

"I strongly believe that something unexplained happened in the helicopter that night."