The planned demonstration of the DH.110 on that day was nearly cancelled when the aircraft at Farnborough, WG 240, an all-black night fighter prototype, became unserviceable. It was de Havilland's second DH.110 prototype, and had been taken supersonic over the show on the opening day. Derry and Richards then collected WG 236, the first DH.110 prototype, from de Havilland's factory in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, and flew it to Farnborough with just enough time to start their slot. Following a supersonic dive and flypast from and during a left bank at about toward the air show's 120,000 spectators, the pilot pulled up into a climb. In less than a second, the aircraft disintegrated: the outer sections of the wing, both engines and the cockpit separated from the airframe. The cockpit, with the two crew members still inside, fell right in front of the spectators nearest the runway, injuring several people. The engines travelled much further on a ballistic trajectory; one engine crashed harmlessly, but the second one ploughed into the so-called Observation Hill, causing most of the fatalities. The rest of the airframe fluttered down and crashed on the opposite side of the runway. One eyewitness was Richard Gardner, then five years old. He recalled in adulthood: Sixty-three years later, speaking on the BBCTodayradio programme in the wake of the Shoreham Airshow disaster, author Moyra Bremner recalled her own traumatic experience. A huge bang silenced the crowd and was followed by "My God, look out" from the commentator. Bremner, standing on the roof of her parents' car, realised that an engine was heading straight towards her. It passed a few feet over her head, a "massive shining cylinder", and then plunged into the crowd on the hill behind. Following the accident the air display programme continued once the debris was cleared from the runway, with Neville Duke exhibiting the prototype Hawker Hunter and taking it supersonic over the show later that day.
Aftermath
and Duncan Sandys, the Minister of Supply, both sent messages of condolence. The coroner's jury recorded that Derry and Richards had "died accidentally in the normal course of their duty", and that "the deaths were accidental", adding that "no blame is attached to Mr. John Derry". The investigation concluded that the manoeuvring had caused an airframe instability because of a faulty D-nose leading edge arrangement. The redesigned DH.110 resumed flights in June 1953 and was eventually developed into the de Havilland Sea Vixen naval fighter. More stringent airshow safety measures were subsequently introduced: jets were obliged to keep at least from crowds if flying straight and when performing manoeuvres, and always at an altitude of at least.
