Inquest into plane crash begins

The left wing and cockpit of the aircraft hit a static display plane on the runway

An inquest into the cause of a plane crash in Kent which killed the pilot and left eight injured has begun.

The crash happened in March 2007 when a De Havilland Turbo Beaver plane struck a static display aircraft at the end of the runway at Headcorn Aerodrome.

Mr Steven Davis, aged 36 and from Orpington, died at Royal London Hospital the day after the crash.

An Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) inspector told the inquest how Mr Davis tried to abort the flight.

Reading from a December 2007 AAIB report, Mr Julian Firth told the nine-strong inquest jury at Maidstone County Hall that the plane had appeared to accelerate normally.

'Able to evacuate'

He then described how the parachute "jump-master" had noticed the aircraft was still on the ground as it passed a point on the runway where it would normally be airborne.

The pilot then shouted "abort" before one of the parachutists said: "Brace, brace, everyone on the floor".

The left wing and cockpit of the aircraft then collided with a camouflaged F100 fighter jet parked as a museum exhibit off the end of the runway.

Mr Firth said members of the cabin were able to evacuate the aircraft, but the pilot remained unconscious in the cockpit.

The 2007 AAIB report found that the crash was caused by incorrectly aligned wing flaps.