Pilots to blame for death of air cadet girls
TWO schoolgirls and their flight instructors were killed by pilot error, a report concluded yesterday.
Cousins Katie-Jo Davies, 14, and 13-year-old Nikkita Marie Walters were being flown in separate planes which clipped wings in mid-air.
Both planes burst into flames and fell 2,800ft, killing the girls and RAF instructors Hylton Price, 63, and Andrew Marsh, 24.
The tragedy took place as Katie and Nikkita were taken on air cadet “taster” flights near Porthcawl, south Wales, last February.
Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell set out the findings of an RAF Service Inquiry to Parliament.
He said: “The cause of the accident was the flight of both aircraft into the same airspace at the same time.
“Either the pilots did not see each other, or did not do so until it was too late.”
The report made a total of 29 recommendations, including fitting “collision warning systems” to training aircraft.