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.