Ejector Seat Company Fined Over Red Arrows Pilot's Death

One of the world's leading ejector seat manufacturers has been fined £1.1 million after it admitted breaching health and safety law over the death of a Red Arrows pilot.

Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was fatally injured after being ejected from his Hawk T1 aircraft while on the ground at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, on November 8, 2011.

Handing Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ltd a £1.1 million fine, Mrs Justice Carr said: "Flight Lieutenant Cunningham was a fit and professional trained pilot with a promising future ahead of him.

"A significant number of pilots, and also potential passengers, were exposed to the risk of harm over a lengthy period.

"Here the risk of harm was of the highest level - death. Martin-Baker Aircraft Company fell short of the appropriate standard."

She added: "This was, in the words of his father, an entirely preventable tragedy."

In a statement released after sentencing, Martin-Baker Aircraft Company said: "Our thoughts remain foremost with the family and friends of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, to whom the company conveys its sadness, regret and apology.

"This tragic accident was the result of an inadvertent ejection and main parachute deployment failure due to the over-tightening of the drogue shackle bolt.

"In November 2017, the HSE confirmed that the inadvertent ejection was not caused by any fault attributable to the company.

"Upon receiving clarification of the HSE's case, the company accepted a breach of s.3(1) of the Health & Safety At Work Act 1974, on the basis that it failed to provide a written warning to the RAF not to over-tighten the drogue shackle bolt.

"We appreciate that both the judge and the Health & Safety Executive, during this process, has acknowledged our dedication and track record in saving lives."

The parachute on the Mark 10B ejector seat did not deploy and the South African-born airman died later in hospital.

Martin-Baker Aircraft Ltd director John Martin pleaded guilty last month on behalf of the Middlesex-based company to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in connection with the 35-year-old's death.

The defence submissions for the company said an assessment by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was that such an incident would happen only once in more than 100 years.

The court was also told that the firm had a "good system" in place and it "just failed in this instance".