Exclusive:
Former RAF airman Andy Hill has lodged a Judicial Review with the High Court challenging the Civil Aviation Authority decision to revoke his flying permit after the tragedy which killed 11 men in a fireball
Shoreham disaster pilot Andy Hill is launching a last-ditch bid to fly again – nearly a decade after his vintage jet crashed and killed 11 men.
The ex-RAF airman, 60, has lodged a Judicial Review in the High Court challenging the Civil Aviation Authority’s decision to strip him of his licence, the Mirror can reveal. It has sparked outrage from families of the victims who were killed when his Hawker Hunter jet ploughed into the A27 in West Sussex in 2015.
They hoped their misery was over after he seemingly missed a three-month deadline to appeal the CAA ruling. But they now say it appears Mr Hill has a “personal vendetta” after claiming a court backlog meant he had not submitted the appeal in time.
Caroline Schilt, 64, whose son Jacob, 23, was killed in the inferno, said: “We were expecting this Judicial Review from Hill and the lateness of the claim is a trademark of his. Whether he is aware that his late challenges cause the families the ultimate pain as he prolongs the legal process cannot be proved.
“However, it certainly feels like a personal vendetta. 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.”
Former British Airways pilot Mr Hill was attempting a loop manoeuvre in the vintage jet when he crashed. The 1950s aircraft broke into four parts, destroying eight vehicles on the dual carriageway on August 22 2015.
Mr Hill, of Sandon, Herts, survived after being thrown clear but spent a week in an induced coma. In 2022, a coroner ruled all 11 who died were unlawfully killed and blamed Mr Hill’s poor flying.
But he was cleared of 11 counts of gross negligence manslaughter charges during a trial at the Old Bailey. The jury acquitted him of 11 counts of manslaughter after hearing he was cognitively impaired during the flight.
Last year he claimed the decision to ground him was made to avoid bad publicity. But at an appeal hearing in central London CAA experts blasted his actions and said he had “shown no remorse, admission of guilt or recognition of the events of that particular day”
The Regulation and Review panel rejected his appeal to fly again in October. The deadline for making an application to review the decision passed in January, three months after the CAA announced they would not be returning his permit to fly. But the CAA now say they have received a claim and are “considering it”.
Tony Mallinson, who lost his father, retired engineer James, 72, said: “This is very unwelcome news yet again. Hill continues to have no consideration and thought to any of us the bereaved families thinking of himself only again.
“After such a damning report submitted by the CAA last October providing key reasons why they were revoking all of his licenses, 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? I am not entirely surprised however knowing his track record of challenging every decision that is made.”
A CAA spokesperson said: “The UK Civil Aviation Authority can confirm that it has received a Judicial Review claim on behalf of Mr Andrew Hill following the Civil Aviation Authority’s decision to formally revoke his pilot and flight radio telephony licences. We are now considering this claim.
“Following the crash at the Shoreham Airshow in 2015 in which 11 people died, Andrew Hill’s licences were suspended, and he remains unable to fly in the UK. The thoughts of everyone at the UK Civil Aviation Authority remain with those affected by the tragic crash.”
A spokesperson for the High Court confirmed the application had been submitted. Attempts were made to contact Mr Hill’s legal team.
