Shoreham Airshow pilot Andy Hill has been found not guilty by a jury.

After a seven week trial the jury at the Old Bailey has announced its verdict.

Hill, 54, of Standon Road, Buntingford, was charged with 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence.

He had been flying a Hawker Hunter jet in 2015 when it crashed onto the A27 and led to the deaths of 11 people.

Today the jury in his trial found him not guilty on all counts. </s> Shoreham Airshow crash pilot Andy Hill has been found not guilty of 11 charges of manslaughter by gross misconduct following a lengthy trial.

Hill, 54, of Standon Road, Buntingford, had been flying a Hawker Hunter jet in 2015 when it crashed onto the A27 and led to the deaths of 11 people.

The tragedy tore families apart and sent shockwaves through the community.

The affects of the disaster are still being felt in the area today.

Following a trial pilot Andy Hill was today found not guilty of all 11 charges of manslaughter by gross misconduct.

Now, after eight weeks of evidence at the Old Bailey in London, we look back at some of the key moments from the trial:

Prosecutor Tom Kark QC began the trial with an opening address to the jury, setting out the case for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

“The effects of that crash were devastating, and 11 people lost their lives as a result.

“Mr Hill miraculously escaped, because his cockpit separated from the rest of the aircraft ending in a ditch, his seat was left lying on the ground.

The trial heard that Hill was up to 1,000 feet below the required safety height for the loop manoeuvre.

Mr Kark said: "There was a straightforward escape manoeuvre that could be performed."

He told the court that there was no evidence that a fault with the aircraft contributed to the crash.

Defence issues opening statement: Hill was 'cognitively impaired' before the disaster

On day two of the trial, Hill's defence barrister Karim Khalil QC said his client was not in control of the aircraft during the fateful 'bent loop' stunt.

He told the court: "He is not a cavalier pilot and is not a pilot who was - as has been suggested - playing fast and loose with the lives of onlookers.

"We say that this may not have been about pilot error at all because Andy Hill may not have been in control of what he was doing.

"A proper analysis of the last manoeuvre leads one to the conclusion that he was suffering from cognitive impairment and he was not in full control of his actions.

"Nobody could have made those various errors if they were fully in control of what they were doing and was aware of the situation that was developing. They were simply too numerous."

Airshow flying director and RAF veteran Rodney Dean was the first witness called to give evidence in the trial.

He said pilots should practice what they would do in the case of an emergency like engine failure.

He told the court: "The aircraft is of secondary importance to the people on the ground.

"Pilots should at least - at the very least - work through in their mind what their actions should be in the event of an emergency."

In statements issued to police in 2017, Hill said that he could not remember the events leading up to the disaster, or the crash itself.

Hill said in his 2017 statement, later read out in court: “I have no recollection of the accident or the events leading up to it “

It is possible I experienced ALOC [altered level of consciousness].

“It is also possible that I may have suffered a cognitive impairment for other reasons or a medical issue.”

Top pilot made error trying to recreate 2015 stunt that ended in tragedy

On Monday, February 11 the jury heard how an expert pilot trying to recreate the stunt that ended in tragedy at the Shoreham Airshow made an error himself.

Elite pilot David Southwood pulled up up with just 200ft to spare.

A video shown in court showed him a similar plane to the Hawker Hunter which crashed in 2015.

Defence barrister Mr Khalil made the point that Mr Southwood was a pilot at the top of his field and yet still made this error.

Mr Southwood said: “Every pilot makes error every time you go flying.

“I have certainly never made an error allied to this while display flying.”

Andy Hill takes the witness stand: I was not 'cavalier or thrill-seeking'

When it was his turn to take the witness box, veteran pilot Hill told the trial about his career in the RAF which included time in the famous Harrier aircraft.

He spent a month in Iraq flying the jet as part of the RAF force monitoring the no-fly zone in the late 1990s.

The court also heard that Hill received an award for a computer program he wrote to try and increase safety in a newer version of the Harrier jet.

Defence barrister Mr Khalil asked him: "It has been suggested by the Crown that you were in some way a cavalier or thrill-seeking pilot."

Mr Hill replied: "I would say I was probably one of the least people that applied to in the sense that there are ways to be cavalier and some people are and some people are not.

"I believe I took a very structured, disciplined approach to it and held back from areas I was uncomfortable with doing.

"It was the primary aim of the air display to avoid risk."

READ MORE: Parents of Littlehampton victim react to not guilty verdict



Aviation safety expert Dr Stephen Jarvis told the Old Bailey today that Hill made up to 12 errors in just 23 seconds.

When asked what caused these errors, Mr Jarvis said the only explanation that satisfies him was that Hill suffered a form of cognitive impairment.

Dr Jarvis said the was a 'cascade of errors' towards the end of Hill's flight in the Hunter.

He added: "At that part of the flight errors start to be made and quite a lot of them."

Judge sums up the evidence: 'There has been very little factual dispute in the case'

Last week Mr Justice Andrew Edis told the jury that there was 'very little' disagreement over the facts in the trial.

With all the evidence finished, it is was up to him as trial judge to provide a summary of the case to the jury before they retired to consider their verdict.

Mr Justice Edis said: "There has been very little factual dispute in the case.

"There has been very little disagreement between witnesses about things which have happened."

He pointed to the crux of the case - the question of why the disaster happened.

The jury were sent out on Monday.

Following eight weeks of evidence, pilot Andy Hill was today cleared of all 11 charges.

Click here to read the story from this morning. </s> The pilot of the jet which crashed at Shoreham Air Show has appeared in court charged with killing 11 people.

Andrew Hill, of Sandon in Hertfordshire, was attempting to perform a loop-the-loop in a vintage Hawker Hunter plane at the show in August 2015 when the jet crashed into traffic on the A27 dual carriageway.

The 54-year-old faces 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence and one count of endangering an aircraft.

Appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for a 14 minute hearing, Hill indicated he would be pleading not guilty. </s> Pilot Andy Hill has been cleared of 11 counts of manslaughter after the Shoreham Airshow crash.

Eleven men died when Mr Hill's jet crashed onto the A27 in August 2015.

After the verdicts Mr Hill read a statement outside court. </s> Image copyright PA Image caption Andy Hill is charged with 11 counts of manslaughter

The pilot of a jet which crashed during the Shoreham Airshow has appeared in court charged with killing 11 men.

Andy Hill, 54, of Sandon, Hertfordshire was performing aerobatics when the Hawker Hunter jet crashed on the A27 in Sussex in August 2015.

Mr Hill appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with 11 counts of manslaughter and one count of endangering an aircraft.

He indicated he would be pleading not guilty.

Mr Hill was given bail and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 17 May.

Image copyright PA Image caption The Hawker Hunter jet plummeted on to the A27 on 22 August 2015

Prosecutor Simon Ringrose confirmed the charges were brought following the fatal crash, which occurred when the vintage jet crashed into traffic on the dual carriageway while trying to execute a loop-the-loop manoeuvre.

Mr Hill was thrown clear of the plane.

He suffered "very serious injuries" as a result, Mr Ringrose said.

Image copyright BBC/Sussex Police/Facebook Image caption (Top row, left to right) Matt Jones, Matthew Grimstone, Jacob Schilt, Maurice Abrahams, Richard Smith. (Bottom row, left to right) Mark Reeves, Tony Brightwell, Mark Trussler, Daniele Polito, Dylan Archer, Graham Mallinson

The victims </s> The pilot whose plane crashed during the Shoreham Airshow disaster, killing 11 men, has appeared in court for the first time to indicate not-guilty pleas over the tragedy.

Andrew Hill faces 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence and one count of endangering an aircraft under air navigation laws.

The 54-year-old, of Sandon, Hertfordshire, appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court for a 14-minute hearing on Thursday morning at which he confirmed his name, date of birth and address, and indicated a not-guilty plea to all charges.

He will be expected to formally enter pleas at the Old Bailey next month.

The crash occurred when a vintage Hawker Hunter jet plummeted on to the A27 in West Sussex during a loop-the-loop stunt at the Shoreham Airshow on August 22, 2015. </s> Pilot Andrew Hill has been found not guilty of manslaughter over 2015 Shoreham Airshow crash, in which 11 people died.

Mr Hill's ex-military Hawker Hunter jet crashed on to the A27 in Sussex on 22 August 2015.

The ex-RAF pilot denied deliberately committing to a loop manoeuvre despite flying too low and too slow. </s> Shoreham Crash Pilot To Be Charged With Manslaughter

The pilot of the plane which crashed at the Shoreham Air Show is going to be charged with Manslaughter according to Sussex Police.

53-year-old Andrew Hill was the pilot of the Hawker Hunter jet that crashed at the Shoreham Air Show on the 22nd of August 2015.

11 men died on that day when the plane hit the A27.

Sussex Police now say Mr Hill of Standon Road, Standon, Buntingdord, Hertfordshire will face criminal charges.

The Crown Prosecution Service say he will be charged with the manslaughter by gross negligence of the 11 men who died and he's also accused of endangering an aircraft, contrary to Article 137 of the Air Navigation Order 2009.

He will be formally charged with the offences and appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 19th.

Police say specialist officers will keep supporting the families and friends of those who died. </s> The pilot whose plane crashed in the Shoreham Airshow disaster, killing 11 men, will be charged with manslaughter by gross negligence, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.

Andrew Hill also faces allegations of endangerment of an aircraft under air navigation laws after the vintage Hawker Hunter jet plummeted on to the A27 in West Sussex at 1.22pm on August 22 2015.
Jet pilot Andy Hill, accused of eleven counts of manslaughter over a 2015 crash at Shoreham Airshow in England, makes an initial Magistrates' Court appearance. He indicates he will deny the charges and the case is transferred to Crown Court.