Coroner says death of glider pilot in Storrington was accidental

Oliver Summerill, 21, died of injuries to his head, neck and chest after his glider crashed nose first into a field near Hurst Lane, Storrington, on September 24 last year.

Experienced pilot Oliver arrived at Parnham airfield at 6.40am that day and attached the wings to his glider, as is standard practice, before positioning his parachute in the cockpit and checking the electrical systems on his aircraft.

The initial stages of the take-off at 9.56am were as "normal" but then as speed increased the glider seemed to be more nose down than usual.

A report by the government's air accidents investigation branch (AAIB) said: "The tug aircraft left the ground before the glider which was also considered unusual.

Oliver was pronounced dead at the scene (Image: Eddie Mitchell)

"After becoming airborne, following a longer ground run than usual, the glider pitched down and bounced twice. Once it became airborne again witnesses described the glider as being in a low towing position.”

Eyewitnesses on the ground saw the glider release the tow in the left turn. After the release they said it pitched down at a steep angle until they lost sight of it behind trees.

The pilot of the tow plane contacted Oliver by radio but received no response.

Oliver was ejected from the glider during the accident and was found 26 metres from the crash site with his parachute trailing behind.

Personnel from the gliding club called the emergency services and made their way to the crash site with the airfield's fire vehicle. They conducted CPR on Oliver but he died at the scene.

The AAIB’s investigation found that the elevator, or tail wing, of the plane which controls the pitch, or angle, of the plane was not connected to its control rod.

Officials said a spring clip which should have stopped the controls disconnecting was missing.

An air ambulance responded to the incident (Image: Eddie Mitchell)

“The tail elevator was not connected to the control system,” AAIB investigator Stephen Connor said at the inquest in Brighton.

“He would have had very little control of the aircraft.

“There was no safety clip fitted to the block plate. He did have access to them and was familiar with them as some were found in his car.

“It’s entirely possible it went missing during the flight, but it is difficult for them to come out.”

The court heard it was “unlikely” positive control checks were carried out before the flight.

READ MORE: Man dies after glider crashes in field near Storrington

An examination of Oliver’s body on September 30, 2022, found “no significant toxicological findings likely to contribute to death”.

As such, Oliver’s death was ruled as accidental by coroner Penelope Schofield.

There are currently no mandated checks a pilot must carrying out on a glider before take-off, though the AAIB has recommended the British Glider Association changes this after Oliver’s crash.