Shoreham pilot makes High Court bid to fly again

The pilot whose plane crashed at the Shoreham Airshow, killing 11 men, has taken an appeal to have his licence reinstated to the High Court.

Andy Hill was performing a manoeuvre in a vintage aircraft when it crashed into the A27 in West Sussex in 2015.

Industry regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suspended his pilot and flight radio telephony licences following the incident and their regulation and review panel rejected an appeal to let him fly again in October 2024.

The CAA is now considering a Judicial Review claim that Mr Hill has lodged.

Mr Hill, from Sandon in Hertfordshire, was charged with 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence, but was found not guilty after a trial in March 2019.

In December 2022, a coroner ruled Mr Hill's flying of the Hawker Hunter plane led to the 11 men being unlawfully killed.

In October, the CAA upheld a decision to revoke Mr Hill's licences, saying he "still seeks to disassociate himself from any meaningful responsibility for the accident".

Usually, reviews against public bodies must be made within three months of a decision being made.

However, Mr Hill's claim missed the 17 January deadline.

Caroline and Bob Schilt, whose son Jacob died in the disaster, said Mr Hill's appeal feels like a "vendetta" against the deceased's families.

They said: "Hill has never accepted any form of responsibility for killing eleven men as a result of his diabolical flying.

"He has never shown any remorse and we don't believe he ever will."

Tony Mallinson, who lost his father Graham in the crash, said Mr Hill should respect the CAA's decision last October.

He said: "You would think that he would now give up this campaign and let us all grieve for our loved ones in peace, but how can we?"

Tim Loughton, who was MP for East Worthing and Shoreham when the crash happened, said the appeal was "crass" and "insensitive" and could open old wounds.

He said: "He needs to do the decent thing and give up his attempt to restart his flying career given the circumstances in which it ended."

The CAA has 21 days to acknowledge Mr Hill's claim and set out its argument if it believes the review should not go ahead.

In a statement on Thursday, it wrote: "The thoughts of everyone at the UK Civil Aviation Authority remain with those affected by the tragic crash."

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