A NOVICE pilot who crashed his plane into the sea on his first solo flight planned his kamikaze-style suicide months in advance, claiming it was ''his destiny'', an inquest heard yesterday.

Former hotelier and company director Terry Brand, 45, began flying lessons three months before his death with the sole intention of killing himself in a blaze of glory.

On November 6 this year, on the day of his death, he left a suicide note and a Buddhist poem in which he claimed he was relieved to be going to his death. With two broken marriages and a failed love affair behind him and facing financial ruin he felt suicide was the only honourable option.

The father-of-three, who had recently converted to Buddhism, completed a circuit around Bournemouth Airport before flying out over the south coast to his death.

Shocked air traffic controllers could only listen helplessly as he radioed a last message saying ''give my apologies to everyone'' and then calmly rolled his Piper light aircraft into the sea.

The broken plane, with its propeller embedded in the sea floor, was discovered 1.3 miles off Boscombe Pier, Bournemouth, in 17ft of water.

Police divers found Mr Brand's body lying face down close to the wreckage.

The inquest at Bournemouth heard extracts from his final letters, found at his home in Charminster, Bournemouth, in which he explained his death wish and apologised to those who loved him.

He wrote: ''I have been trying to go for some time, but until now I have not flown solo, today will be my third attempt. I have made my peace with so many in recent weeks, allow me to leave now.''

He asked his family not to resent him for his actions, adding: ''My full intention in learning to fly was to move on in one dramatic moment - my actions are pre-meditated and calculated.''

Coroner Nigel Neville-Jones recorded a verdict of suicide.