Mid-air deaths ruled accidental

A mid-air collision which killed the pilot of a 60-year-old plane and his passenger over fields in Staffordshire was an accident - an inquest jury has decided.

The crash near Rugeley on 16 December 2007 led to the deaths of Peter Leigh, who was at the controls of the 1947 Luscombe 8E Silvaire two-seater light aircraft, and his passenger, David Arthur Sims.

Both men lived in the county and an inquest was held at Stafford Crown Court yesterday by the South Staffordshire Coroner, Andrew Haigh.

Mr Leigh, aged 60, of the Green, Clayton, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, had just taken off from Abbots Bromley, near Rugeley.

He collided with a Pacific Aerospace 750XL piloted by Mike Carruthers. The stricken two-seater crashed in the grounds of Rectory Farm, off Lea Lane, near Blithfield Reservoir.

Mr Carruthers limped 25 miles back to East Midlands Airport, near Nottingham, and landed safely with his passengers Rupert Johnston and his 10-year-old son, James.

Mr Johnston is a sergeant with Cumbria Police, the inquest was told. A post mortem examination revealed that Mr Sims, aged 67, of Caistor Close, Stoke-on-Trent, and Mr Leigh died of multiple injuries.

Radar images shown at the inquest revealed that a microlight was in the vicinity. It is believed Mr Leigh could have swerved to avoid it and into Mr Carruthers' path.

Mr Sims, an engineer, bought the blue and silver Luscombe some years before and had restored it. Mr Leigh had more than 20 years' flying experience, the jury was told.

Neighbours described the pilot as a dynamic man who lived life to the full. The jury reached a verdict that both men died as a result of an accident.

The coroner said: "The two men died as a result of an accident. It was very unfortunate that there was another plane in close proximity at the time.

"It is tragic and my genuine sympathy goes out to the two families involved."