One of the Special Boat Service's most celebrated soldiers survived undercover missions, sieges and prison revolts in Afghanistan only to die in a freak hang-gliding accident, an inquest has heard.

Sergeant Paul "Scruff" McGough, 41, was a key figure in a unit which won the siege of Afghanistan's Qala-i-Janghi jail, considered among the most highly decorated missions in the service's history.

Sgt McGough, from Taunton, Somerset, dodged Taliban bullets to stop the revolt of hundreds of prisoners in Masri-i-sharif in November 2001. He also dressed as a native to gather intelligence among the mountains.

But his death came not in the course of duty but after he had completed a four day course in paramotoring – flying using an attached motor – in Cyprus on June 1, 2006.

The inquest heard he was set to fly to Dubai from the course at Sky School, where he had excelled, but had agreed to one final flight.

After successfully completing two 360 degree turns at the field in Pissouri he kicked his legs to instructor and school owner Alex Ledger to indicate he wanted to repeat the manoeuvre a third and final time.

The turn was tighter than expected and despite calls to put his hands up to recover the shape of the wing, he began to spiral down from 1,200 feet.

After the case, the West Somerset coroner Michael Rose paid tribute to Sgt McGough's "distinguished career" saying: "His death is a loss to you (the family) and to this country."

Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Rose ruled he had died after going into a spiral dive but noted: "In all probability the deceased would not have died if the risk of such turns had been more fully understood at the time and appropriate training given."

Just 10 days ago, The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association published new guidelines on spiral dives, the coroner heard.

Alexander Ledger, owner of Sky School Flight Centre Ltd, told the court he had been flying since the age of 16 and had taught 40 people to fly paramotors.

He told the coroner: "He (Sgt McGough) was a very fit man and coming on very fast. He could certainly keep up with me, I spent a lot of time with him. I was very impressed with his determination, fitness and ability to learn quickly."

The first two turns that morning went without a hitch but the third was unusually sharp.

Mr Ledger said: "He entered into a tight turn, much tighter than anything he had done before. He applied the power which is an advanced manoeuvre – nothing we had discussed.

"I remember asking him to put his hands up and decelerate the power immediately. The wing would have moved but it wouldn't have deflated."

But there was no response to the radio instructions, he said, and Sgt McGough went into a 100ft-per-second spiral dive. Mr Ledger explained there would have been a lot of wind-noise during such a spin, affecting his ability to hear.

The court heard there had been two similar fatalities involving British fliers who had locked into spiral dives.

Sgt McGough leaves behind a wife and children. Members of his family who attended the inquest declined to comment after the hearing.

Sgt McGough's obituary, which was published in a national newspaper, recalled his role in defending the former Soviet airbase in Bagram from both Afghan government fighters and the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

Outnumbered, the C Company held the huge airbase for a day and a night, annoying the Americans who had expected to be there first.

Once relieved by US special forces, he embarked on intelligence-gathering patrols in local dress.

On November 25, he was involved in fierce fighting at the prison-fortress of Qala-i-Jangi, known as the "Fort of War".

Several hundred prisoners had revolted while being interrogated by the CIA, and were armed with AK47s and rocket-propelled grenades.

They killed the CIA's Captain "Mike" Spann, and cornered another agent, Dave Dawson.

Sgt McGough was one of eight Special Boat Service (SBS) men in two armed Land Rovers under a British commander, and nine US special forces, led by Major Mark Mitchell, who raced to prevent the Taliban from breaking out of the jail to retake Mazar-i-Sharif.

Sgt McGough repelled hundreds of "screaming warriors" despite a hail of bullets which tore up battlements beneath him, his obituary claimed.

Despite reports to the contrary, no Britons received foreign awards, and Sgt McGough received a mention in dispatches.

Some of his adventures were described in Damien Lewis's book, Bloody Heroes, published earlier this month.