Model plane death 'accidental'

The council is being urged to ban model planes from Dartford Heath

An inquest into the death of a 13-year-old girl who was killed when she was hit by a radio-controlled acrobatic plane has ruled her death was accidental.

Tara Lipscombe, from Dartford, died after being hit by the model aircraft while she was walking on Dartford Heath, Kent, on Tuesday 15 April.

The hearing at Gravesend Coroners Court on Monday heard how the plane had been "poorly constructed" by its owner.

Roger Pamplin, from Bexley, did not have enough experience to build the Acrowat petrol-powered plane - which could fly at speeds of over 50mph - and had made mistakes gluing together the tail section, it was told.

Mr Pamplin admitted not using instructions when putting together the tail section, but said he had assembled similar planes before.

Second crash

Mr Pamplin's friend, Alan Ives, from south Croydon, was flying the plane when it lost its tail section and plunged into the schoolgirl, who had been walking with her mother, sister, aunt and cousins.

He told the hearing that he saw something fall off the plane before it spiralled out of control.

Tara was taken to hospital with serious head injuries from the impact but died in hospital a few hours later, the inquest was told.

Dartford Heath has a designated area for flying model planes, and her death came six weeks after another model plane crashed just 3 ft from a mother and her son.

Experts from the British Model Flying Association criticised Dartford Borough Council for allowing planes to be flown in the area, which was not safe enough.

'Gross negligence'

The council was also accused of not taking appropriate action after the earlier accident.

The family's counsel, Roy Lemon, accused the council and Mr Pamplin of "gross negligence".

In response, the council said it did not perceive the area to be a risk, and there had been flying on Dartford Heath since the 1920s.

The coroner, Roger Hatch, said he could not attribute blame, but would be writing to the council to express his concern and urge that flying is banned from the heathland.

In a statement after the inquest, Tara's family said she had been a much loved and very bright girl, with a bright future ahead.