Shoreham Airshow crash survivors tell how they were ‘engulfed by a fireball’

Sophie Williams28 January 2019

Survivors of the Shoreham Airshow crash today told a court how they had been “engulfed by a fireball” when a plane perfoming a stunt crashed onto a busy road, killing 11 people.

The harrowing accounts were read to the jury at the Old Bailey in the manslaughter trial of pilot Andrew Hill.

Eleven died when his 1950s Hawker Hunter fighter jet plummeted on to the A27 in West Sussex while it was performing a loop-the-loop stunt in August 2015.

People described how they ran for their lives with one man thrown across a child’s buggy and another leaping out of a burning car.

Jurors were shown never-seen-before footage from the cockpit of the plane
PA

House husband Paul Snellgrove was watching the show with his family, including his granddaughter.

He was taking photographs of the Hunter as it turned into a loop.

At first he thought it was going to do an "impressive manoeuvre" but then noticed it was going slow and low, the court heard.

As the plane came down on the dual carriageway, Mr Snellgrove heard a "crunch".

He described being thrown over the buggy and his daughter.

"I started to feel a burning sensation down my face," he said. "I was in absolute agony.

"My daughter said 'Dad, your face and ears are gone'. I shouted 'Run'.

Aftermath: Emergency services attend the scene on the A27
Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA

"Everyone that I had seen before the crash had gone. I don't know what happened to them."

He was "on the point of passing out" but was told to stay awake before he was treated at the scene.

He said: "I was in a real state and people asked me what happened. I just wanted to be reunited with my family."

Software engineer Thomas Milburn, from Worthing, had cycled to Shoreham, where he found a spot to take pictures.

In a split second, he realised the Hunter was going to crash.

He said: "I thought it was going to hit me. From my sitting position I immediately lay down, put my head in my hands and closed my eyes.

"I heard an explosion. I felt a wave of pressure coming towards me. Through my eyelids I saw a bright orange light. I felt extreme heat through my skin.

The scene of the accident in August 2015
Getty Images

"I really thought I was going to die. I thought I would be consumed by burning fuel.

"I realised I had been engulfed or partially engulfed by a fireball. Everything around me was silent.

"A few seconds after that I was able to get to my feet and I stood up. I realised I was in shock.

"I remember thinking 'Don't look around'. Immediately before the crash I saw a lot of people sitting on the ground. I was sure all those people were in the direct line of the plane and must have been killed.

"I just kept running down the road towards the airfield.

"As I was running I realised the skin on my hands and arms felt loose."

Mr Milburn suffered burns to his arms, legs and back, the court heard.

Pilot: Andrew Hill
Getty Images

He said: "I felt I was lucky to be alive. Very weary, a sense of disbelief about what happened. It seemed like a dream."

Retired Peter Reed leapt from his burning car while it was still moving to escape the carnage.

He said he began to panic when he heard a "massive bang".

"I had the strong impression that my vehicle was on fire and it was going to explode," he said.

"I decided I needed to get out of my still-moving vehicle. I leapt out of my car. I saw my car continuing along the road, finally coming to a stop.

"I felt my arms were hot where I had been burnt but otherwise I felt unscathed."

He said there was thick black smoke and cars burning.

He heard someone saying "Where's the pilot?" and realised it was a plane crash.

"At the time my vehicle was engulfed in flames I was absolutely terrified."

Since the crash, Mr Reed said he had suffered flashbacks and had difficulty sleeping.

The jury was shown a video of the Hunter attempting a loop-the-loop.

The plane came down behind a line of trees then exploded in a huge ball of fire.

Iain Campbell, managing director of PlanesTV.com, which filmed the show, described the defendant as enthusiastic, professional and modest.

The Market Rasen-based managing director, said in a read statement: "At the time the Hunter went down I actually had my back to it. I heard the crowd's dismay at the crash."

On the footage, a commentator could be heard to exclaim: "That's such a beautiful airplane", moments before the crash.

As it exploded, the commentator said "Oh", then became silent.

Hill, 54, of Sandon, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, denies 11 charges of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Additional reporting by agencies.

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