THE captain of an Aberdeen-bound aircraft which crashed last week,
killing 12 people, had reported ''a problem'' just minutes after
take-off, an inquest heard yesterday.
West Yorkshire coroner David Hinchliff said pilot John Casson
requested permission to return his Brazilian-built Bandeirante to
Leeds/Bradford Airport.
About two minutes later, the light aircraft disappeared from radar
screens and was seen to crash in a barley field near the village of
Dunkeswick, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Mr Hinchliff told relatives of the three crew members and nine
passengers on board the tragic Knight Air flight to Aberdeen on May 24
that the investigation into the crash would be conducted ''fully,
fairly, and fearlessly''.
After hearing evidence of identification from WPC Jean Vanes, the
coroner adjourned the inquest until after the completion of the
investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Aircraft Accident
Investigation Branch.
Mr Hinchliff said the aircraft caught fire on impact but the outbreak
was quickly extinguished due to torrential rain at the time. It was
obvious those on board had suffered fatal injuries.
Eight of those killed were identified by comparison with dental
records, one from personal documents and the others from items of
clothing, a personal description by relatives and a name badge.
Mr Hinchliff said: ''It is my public duty, as I am responsible for the
conduct of this inquest, to ensure the relevant facts are fully, fairly,
and fearlessly investigated and I intend to do just that.''
Those who died were the pilot, Mr John Howard Casson, 49, a married
man, of Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire; his co-pilot, Mr Paul Anthony
Denton, 29, a married man, of High Burton, Huddersfield, and air
stewardess Helen Lynn Leadbeater, 22, of Shelf, Halifax.
The passengers who died were Mr Dennis Oliver Davis, 46, a contract
manager, married, from Pontefract, West Yorkshire; Miss Katherine
Duguid, 35, an accountant, of Dunlin Road, Cove, Aberdeen; Mr Phillip
Hutchinson, 34, a retail sales manager, married, of Stable Yard
Cottages, Esslemont, Ellon, Aberdeen; Mr William Mitchell Ingram, 61, an
area contracts manager, married, of Bain Crescent, Mintlaw, Aberdeen; Mr
Karl Daniel McGrath, 27, a sales manager, single, of Ashvale Crescent,
Springburn, Glasgow; Mr Raymond Nettleton, 51, a maintenance engineer,
married, from Baildon, Bradford, West Yorkshire; Mr Phillip Race, 46, a
director of human resources, married, from Lethenty House, Lethenty, by
Inverurie; Mr Christopher Mark Tonkin, 32, a geologist, married, of
Crosshills, Keighley, West Yorkshire, and Mrs Irene Wolsey, 73, a widow,
of Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
The coroner said the cause of death in all cases had yet to be
established.
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