Crash kills Red Arrows pilot

Flt Lt Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, died when his Hawk T1 aircraft crashed into a field at the village of Throop near Bournemouth Airport on Saturday.

He was flying one of nine Red Arrows, which are based at RAF Scampton near Gainsborough, that had earlier taken part in a display at Bournemouth Air Festival.

His wife, Dr Emma Egging, who watched her husband for the first time in a full display just before the accident, described him as “an amazing friend and husband.”

An inquest into Flt Lt Egging’s death has been opened and adjourned in Bournemouth.

A pathologist, who carried out a post-mortem examination, told the inquest the cause of the death was multiple injuries.

It is likely that it will be at least 12 months until a full inquest into his death is heard.

There have been reports that Flt Lt Egging was trying to avoid houses when he crashed.

The Military Air Accident Investigation Branch has started an inquiry.

The RAF said Flt Lt Egging, who grew up in Southam, Warwickshire, joined the team in the autumn of 2010 and flew on the right hand outside of the famous Diamond Nine formation.

Group Captain Simon Blake, the commandant of the RAF’s Central Flying School, said that the Hawk team T1 aircraft has been grounded by the Ministry of Defence “temporarily until its safety can be assured.”

The Red Arrows are based in Lincolnshire, and the rest of the Hawk T1 fleet is based at RAF Valley in Anglesey.

The entire Hawk T1 fleet, which stands at more than 170 aircraft, has been grounded.