Investigators to publish initial findings about Shoreham airshow crash shortly

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) expects to publish the initial findings of its investigation into Shoreham airshow crash “shortly”.

A spokesman said: “There will be a preliminary report. We are expecting it to be published shortly.”

The AAIB – a branch of the Department for Transport – does not always publish a preliminary report and said that it was not possible at this stage to give an exact date.

It can take months, and occasionally years, before a final report is published.

But the most recent preliminary report was published on Thursday 6 August after four people died at Blackbushe airport in Hampshire.

It relied on preliminary information gathered from an inspection of the crash site and the combined voice and flight data recorder, commonly known as the black box, although they are usually orange.

The AAIB investigates civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents.

The sole aim of its investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents, not to apportion blame or liability.

Although the wreckage of the crashed Hawker Hunter has been removed from beside the A27 at Shoreham, investigators remain working at the site in difficult conditions.