The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is to publish its final report on the Shoreham air show crash at noon today (Friday 3 March).
Eleven men died when a vintage Hawker Hunter jet aircraft crashed into a queue of traffic on the A27 on Saturday 22 August 2015.
The pilot, Andy Hill, 52, was doing a loop the loop stunt but failed to pull out of the move before the devastating crash. He was thrown clear of the burning wreckage and incredibly survived.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) – part of the Department for Transport – has spent the past 18 months examining the cause of the crash.
The AAIB has already issued three preliminary reports and made 21 safety recommendations to prevent similar accidents but said that it would not be apportioning blame or liability.
Mr Hill is, though, the subject of a manslaughter investigation by Sussex Police – and a joint inquest has been opened and adjourned. A pre-inquest review had been scheduled for Friday 17 March but has been postponed.
Yesterday (Thursday) the AAIB held a private meeting with the crash victims’ families to share the findings to be published in its final report.
The eleven men who died were
• Maurice Abrahams, 76, a wedding chauffeur, of The Brow, Woodingdean
• Dylan Archer, 42, an IT consultant, of Frederick Street, Brighton
• Richard Smith, 26, a marketing and web development specialist, of Lansdowne Square, Hove
• Tony Brightwell, 53, an NHS care manager, of Marmion Road, Hove
• Matt Grimstone, 23, a groundsman for Brighton and Hove Albion and Worthing United footballer, of Osborne Road, Brighton
• Jacob Schilt, 23, a delivery driver and fellow Worthing United footballer, of The Close, Brighton
• Graham Mallinson, 72, a retired engineer, from Newick, near Lewes
• Daniele Polito, 23, a builder, from Goring
• Matt Jones, 24, a labourer and personal trainer, from Littlehampton
• Mark Reeves, 53, a computer-aided design technician, from Seaford
• Mark Trussler, 54, a window cleaner and general builder, from Worthing
I’m not religious, but I say a little pray for the victims and their families everytime that I drive through those Traffic lights on the A27 at Shoreham. That terrible crash is a constant reminder to me on every journey on that road.