The son of a pilot who died in a plane crash at a Suffolk airfield has described how flying was his 'passion, right to the end'.
Jonathan Walker had flown with his father Peter, 87, days before he died when his single-person CT2K aircraft crashed into a rape seed field at Beccles Aerodrome on March 24 last year.
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A jury decided that Mr Walker's death was accidental following an inquest at Suffolk Coroner's Court, which heard evidence from representatives of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and radio operators at the Beccles site.
His son said the Rugby-born pilot, who was chief flying instructor at a Coventry flying club, had started flying as a teenager.
He said: "From a young age, Peter was always interested in engineering and flying and he was fastidious in everything he did."
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Mr Walker, who was married to Margaret, was originally a draughtsman who set up a computerised project planning and control system.
Jonathan added: "Flying was his passion right to the end and he always had time to talk and help others where possible.
"I flew with my father just before his death. I flew with him up to Shropshire in beautiful conditions and it was evident that he still had a passion for flying and enjoyed it."
Previously, the inquest had heard how the CT2K had bounced twice as it touched down just before 2pm, the second time reaching 100ft in the air before crashing into a rapeseed field next to the runway.
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A radio operator at the airfield told Wednesday's inquest he had been in radio contact with Mr Walker who had requested information about the airfield on his approach, but did not seem 'stressed'.
However, he described the aircraft as being 'unstable' on its approach, 'lowering and raising its wings' before rolling left after the second bounce and nosediving into the field.
John Clarke, a flying instructor at the airfield, also reported the pilot's unstable approach and said he appeared to be coming in 'a little bit too fast'.
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He added Mr Walker appeared to be trying to execute a 'go around' after the second bounce - where the pilot aborts the landing and takes off again to make another attempt - but did not hear the expected increase in engine power to make the 'go around' possible.
Airfield manager Rob Gooderham described the impact as personnel arrived at the scene to help, with one colleague 'leaning over to the right like he was going to be sick'.
He added: "The scene was complete devastation. The cockpit had been completely destroyed and the wings had been ripped off at the top."
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Air ambulance crews were unable to save the pilot due to the severity of his injuries and a post mortem revealed he had sustained multiple fractures all over his body, including the neck and legs.
Mr Walker, who had 2,677 flying hours under his belt, including 1,621 hours on the CT2K, had earlier taken off from Temple Bruer Airstrip in Lincolnshire for the hour-long flight to Beccles.
AAIB senior inspector Mark Ellis, who investigated the crash with fellow senior inspector Niall Robertson, revealed the throttle was still in the 'closed position' following the crash, potentially indicating that Mr Walker had not increased the power as necessary for the go around.
However, he could not say whether the throttle had been forced into the closed position by the impact of the crash.
The AAIB inspectors have made a serious of recommendations which will go into a prevention of future deaths report by Nigel Parsley, senior coroner for Suffolk.
During their investigations into the crash, they uncovered a lack of medical guidance for pilots and medical professionals who use the Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD), where pilots can self-declare their fitness without input from a GP.
They have made a series of recommendations about how pilots and doctors should be made more aware of the medical standards needed to assess licence holders as they get older.
And they are also urging the UK Civil Aviation Authority to liaise with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, to see if it can learn from it about how to assess and monitor ageing pilots.
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