3:06pm Tuesday 16th December 2008
By Alex Cameron »


A ROYAL Marine from Taunton with a distinguished service history died when his extreme sports aircraft went into a spin and fell 1,000 feet to the ground in Cyprus, an inquest heard today.

Sgt Paul ‘Scruff’ McGough, 41, died on June 1, 2008, when he lost control of his paramotor aircraft after a 20-minute flight, West Somerset Coroner Michael Rose was told.

Mr McGough, who was an experienced parachutist, had completed a ‘sound’ four-day training course on the holiday island with British-based SkySchool Flight Centre Ltd, owned by Alex Ledger, of Sturminster Newton, Dorset.

The inquest heard how Mr McGough had completed two 360-degree turns at the end of his flight and was attempting a third when disaster struck.

He may have pulled too aggressively on hand toggles used to steer and was unable to recover stability during a crucial five seconds in which he began to spiral and lose altitude.

Instructions to release the toggles and cut the engine power relayed to him from the ground from Mr Ledger via a one-way radio went unheeded and he went into a face down spiral dive.

Recovering from such a dive would have needed precision flying skills and more altitude, the inquest heard. He hit the ground at about 60mph and died of multiple injuries.

Investigations by authorities in Cyprus said the flying school had breached the country’s regulations by not registering itself or the aircraft, although Mr Rose said this was not a key factor in the incident and Mr Ledger claimed he had previously approached police in Cyprus to check he was not in breach of the law.

During his service, Mr McGough showed extraordinary heroism in several key operations in countries including Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. He was mentioned in dispatches and his obituary in the Telegraph described him as one of the most respected men to serve with the SBS.

Mr Rose recorded a narrative verdict, saying: “The deceased, having completed a paramotor training course in Cyprus was undertaking a 360-degree turn when the paramotor he was turning started to bank steeply and went into a spiral dive resulting in his death. In all probability the fatality would not have occurred if the risks of such turns had been more fully understood at the time of the incident and appropriate training given.”

According to the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, a paramotor is the simplest of all powered aircraft and consists of small 2-stroke petrol engine driving a propeller, worn like a backpack, under a paraglider wing. It provides thrust to take off, climb and maintain level flight.

To read Paul McGough's obituary, click on the Related Link, right.