A pilot is suing one of the1 UK's oldest gliding clubs and two of its members for thousands of pounds after crashing in one of their aircraft.

Douglas Tribe broke both legs when the single-seater K8 glider nosedived shortly after taking off from Parham Airfield, near Pulborough.

He believes the glider was faulty and has filed a High Court writ against Cootham-based Southdown Gliding Club and members, Robert Adam and Ron King.

The three defendants all deny liability for the crash and insist it was down to "pilot error" on the part of Mr Tribe, of William Allen Lane, Lindfield.

At the time of the accident, Mr Tribe had been a member of the gliding club for ten years and was an experienced pilot.

The crash happened shortly after 8.30pm on July 19, 2000, during a flying session on the airfield in the grounds of the Parham estate.

The glider hit trouble shortly after take-off and plunged from the sky, flipping over as it hit the ground.

Paramedics had to free Mr Tribe's trapped legs from beneath the glider and he was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, where he was treated for two fractured thighbones.

The writ filed in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court names as defendants the gliding club, Mr Adam, of Black Hill, Lindfield, and Mr King, of Cheeleys, Horsted Keynes.

Mr Tribe's solicitors have said the claim is for "in excess of £50,000".

Mr Adam said last night: "It could be for more like £500,000."

The glider belonged to Mr Adam, who had bought it nine months earlier from the Southdown Gliding Club.

He loaned it to the club whenever he did not need it and Mr Tribe had hired it on the evening of the accident.

Mr Adam, 76, said: "I wasn't there when the accident happened. I was at the airfield that morning but left.

"No one is disputing that the accident happened but the bone of contention when it comes to court will be what caused the crash and whether the glider was defective as Doug Tribe says.

"All three defendants will strongly deny liability.

"It's our view that pilot error was to blame. There was certainly no negligence on our part."

He said the glider was "totally wrecked" after the crash. Immediately after the accident, Mr Adam and other members of the club sent messages of sympathy to Mr Tribe.

Mr Adam was injured when he crashed a glider five months after Mr Tribe's accident.

He was piloting a K-13 training glider when a wing clipped a tree and the aircraft cartwheeled to the ground at Parham airfield.

Mr Adam, a retired City shipping broker, injured an ankle which was crushed by the glider's steel tubing but vowed to keep on flying.

The Southdown Gliding Club was formed in 1930 and is a member of the British Gliding Association.

Mr Tribe was not available for comment yesterday.