Cousins Katie-Jo Davies and Nikkita Marie Walters [R] were on RAF “air experience flights” The coroner at an inquest into a mid-air collision in which four people died said it was “highly unlikely” it would have happened had a warning system been in place.
Cousins Katie-Jo Davies, 14 and Nikkita Walters, 13, from Evanstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf, died in the Bridgend crash.
Instructors Hylton Price, from Bridgend, and Andrew Marsh, from Penarth, were also killed.
The coroner at Aberdare recorded a narrative verdict.
The inquest heard the planes did not see each other in time and collided in mid air during a training flight over the Kenfig Nature Reserve near Porthcawl on 11 February, 2009.
The Air Training Corps cadets were on different RAF “air experience flights” and the planes had flown from their base about 20 miles (32km) away at RAF St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan on what was supposed to be a routine 20-minute sortie.
Hylton Price [L] and Andrew Marsh would not have seen each other until it was too late, the report said Recording his verdict, Powys coroner Peter Maddox said in his view the RAF had done everything it could to ensure the safety of its pilots and cadets in its training flights.
He referred to recommendations made by the MoD during an investigation into the crash that a collision warning system should be installed on RAF tutor aircraft.
He said it was “highly unlikely” the accident would ever have happened had such a system been in place.
The accident has already been subject to an RAF and Air Accident Investigations Board (AAIB) inquiries.
“All I ever wanted from this inquest was to make sure that no other family would have to suffer a tragedy like ours.”
Michael Walters Nikkita’s uncle
The latter’s report said the two light aircraft were difficult to see and the fact they were painted white meant the two pilots did not spot one another in time.
An earlier MoD investigation had made nearly 30 recommendations, which included the introduction of a collision warning system on RAF tutor aircraft.
Speaking after the inquest, Nikkita’s uncle, Michael Walters, said he did not blame the RAF and that he thought the UK regulations made flying the “safest form of transport”.
He added: “All I ever wanted from this inquest was to make sure that no other family would have to suffer a tragedy like ours.
“The RAF recommendations now being put in place will hopefully achieve that goal”
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the two Tutor planes collide and an explosion, before both aircraft crashed to the ground.
Instructors Flying Officer Hylton Price, 63, and Flight Lieutenant Andrew Marsh, 24, were both “experienced in cadet flying”.
The AAIB report added: “The physical size of the Tutor, together with its all-white colour scheme, would have made it difficult to acquire visually [be seen] in the prevailing conditions.
“It is likely that each aircraft was physically obscured from the other pilot’s view at various times leading up to the collision, thus opportunities to acquire [see] the other aircraft were limited to both pilots.”
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