Ejector seat firm gets £1m fine for Red Arrows horror
THE grief-stricken family of a Red Arrows pilot catapulted to his death by his ejector seat yesterday criticised the MoD and RAF as the seat manufacturer was hit with a £1.1million fine.
Middlesex-based Martin-Baker Aircraft Co Ltd apologised for the incident in which the parachute failed to open after the seat was inadvertently activated while Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was preparing his Hawk T1 at the aerobatics team’s base in Lincolnshire in November 2011.
The 36-year-old was fired 200ft into the air and fell to the ground still strapped into his seat, suffering catastrophic internal injuries which left him “broken from head to foot”.
Prosecutors told the court: “The risk persisted from the early 1970s through to November 2011.
“The issue was that if the pilot was ejected from his or her Hawk at zero or low speed conditions the shackles would not release but would jam together. The result would be that the main parachute would not deploy or open.”
The company admitted a breach of health and safety regulations but disputed some of the allegations made by the prosecution.
The failure of any military representatives to attend the long-running prosecution into the tragedy sparked anger from Flt Lt Cunningham’s family.
A statement issued by his father Jim said: “I would like to address the MoD and the RAF. I have one question for you, ‘Where are you?’ Not one of you is here to represent my son, or my family.”
Speaking after the case, Mr Cunningham said his family had been put through “six years of hell”.
He added: “Martin-Baker were made aware of the defect in the design more than 20 years ago. It took Sean’s death for the issue to come to light.
“Their delay in pleading guilty has put our family through six years of hell. We acknowledge the fine issued to Martin-Baker – only a tiny percentage of their profits. No amount of money will bring back our son or relieve our pain and we can only hope the company has learnt from the tragedy and will ensure Sean is not forgotten and that no one else will go through this hell from faulty equipment.”
Passing sentence at Lincoln Crown Court, Mrs Justice Carr said hundreds of pilots and their passengers had been put at risk when flying with the aerobatics team due to the company keeping quiet about the potential error.
She said: “MBAL admits that in A Hawk jet used by the Red Arrows. The ejector seat activated and the parachute failed to deploy about 1990 it should have issued a written warning to RAF engineers.
“There should have been a warning to guard technicians against over-tightening the drogue shackle lock nut.
“For reasons that are not explained, this never happened, at least so far as the MoD/RAF are concerned. By this breach MBAL exposed each pilot and passenger to a material risk.”
Richard Matthews, mitigating, said: “No words can convey the sadness, the regret and the apology on behalf of the company and all who stand behind it. The regret is enormous.”
Flt Lt Cunningham, from Coventry, had just completed his first season with the Red Arrows.
Last night MoD sources insisted that support was offered to the family but was declined. The MoD was “surprised” at Mr Cunningham’s attack.
An RAF spokesman said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Flt Lt Sean Cunningham at this difficult time.”