December 13, 2012 3.30 pm This story is over 135 months old

Inquest told G-force caused Red Arrows pilot’s death

Inquiry resumed: An inquiry was told that Red Arrows pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging died due to almost loss of consciousness.
Jon Egging was Red 4 at the Red Arrows before a tragic crash at Bournemouth Air Festival in 2011. 

Jon Egging, the Red Arrows pilot who died performing at an air show near Bournemouth, suffered almost loss of consciousness due to G-force, an inquest heard.

Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging (33), from Rutland, was killed in August last year after his Hawk T1 aircraft fell from the air during a display.

The inquest, which resumed Thursday at Bournemouth Coroner’s Court, found he suffered from ALOC (almost loss of consciousness), and there was little reaction when another pilot told him to check his height.

Black box data found he began to regain consciousness three seconds before the plane crashed, but at that point it was too late to eject or avoid the ground.

The inquest were also told he experienced a max of 6.3 G-force when he broke formation, and the Military Aviation Authority found flying just 70 feet higher could have potentially avoided the crash.

It is thought that Flt Lt Egging succumbing to G-force impairment and “inadequate” G-force awareness could have been factors of the accident.

Technical issues with the aircraft were ruled out.

Egging died instantly from multiple injuries. The were of a severity which would have been impossible to survive.

According to the pilot that requested Egging to check his height, Red Arrows pilots wear “g-suits” designed to stop them blacking out during manoeuvres.

His wife, Dr Emma Egging, also gave evidence at the inquest. She told the inquest that there was a buzz among pilots and families before the display.

She also mentioned that earlier in the year he took 10 days off to recover from neck and back pain, treated by the MOD and an osteopath. On the day, he had taken tablets for a painful back.