A Scottish pilot had taken ecstasy hours before the flight that killed him and a teenager, an inquest heard today.
Greenock-born Robert Gunter, 34, and Jamie Clapp, 13, both died instantly when the Cessna 150 light aircraft they were travelling in nose-dived and burst into flames shortly after takeoff at Clutton Hill airstrip, Somerset.
Jamie, who was scared of heights, had never flown before and was given the trip as a treat for his approaching 14th birthday by Mr Gunter, who was a family friend.
And it was the first flight for Mr Gunter, who owned the two-seater single-engine craft, since his pilot's licence was reissued two months earlier after it had expired.
An inquest into their deaths at Flax Bourton coroner's court today heard from witnesses who had seen the plane spiral out of control moments after takeoff.
Air accident investigators said the crash was down to a stall of the wings caused by the takeoff being too aggressive and too steep.
Mr Gunter had 0.28 micrograms of MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, per litre of blood which is higher than a usual recreation level of 0.2, suggesting he had taken the drug hours before the crash.
Assistant Deputy Coroner Tony Woodburn said the ecstasy had the effect of "euphoria and excitement" which had impaired Mr Gunter's judgment.
Mr Gunter, from Downend, Bristol, was being investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority at the time of the crash.
He had first passed his pilot's test in 2002 in Florida but since then had only notched up 79 flying hours and had to pass a skills test in January 2007 to be fit to fly again.
But in March 2007 he embarked on an ill-judged trip to Scotland where he allegedly infringed the airspace of Manchester and Liverpool airports twice, and caused concern to English and Scottish air traffic control over his competency and airmanship.
The trip was abandoned at Carlisle and the CAA were investigating him over the infringements at the time of the fatal crash.
Mr Gunter, who worked as an agency driver, was born in Greenock and had been living in a house in Bristol as a squatter for some time.
He was adopted from an early age but had no contact with any family, and no relatives were present at today's inquest.
He had befriended Jamie's father, Gordon, from Mangotsfield, Bristol, four years before the accident when he had offered to fix his car.
Mr Gunter and Jamie often spent time together and, on July 8, just two weeks before his birthday, Jamie pestered his father to let him go up in the Cessna.
Mr Clapp said he did not want to let Jamie go but agreed to because he was so excited.
An investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch after the crash found that the plane was mechanically sound and there were no defects.
Senior investigator Chris Protheroe said the plane had done a 30- degree nosedive from a height of around 200ft (61m) into a field around 405 yards (370m) from the runway.
He said the loss of lift on the wing coupled with low engine power meant that the wings shuddered violently.
He used a model aeroplane to demonstrate to the court.
"It is a fundamental skill of airmanship to maintain the conditions to provide the lift that is required," he said.
He also revealed that Mr Gunter was not wearing a seat belt at the moment of impact.
"It may be indicative of the pilot's state of mind," he added.
Another inspector, Andrew Backie, said Mr Gunter's flying log book was scrappily recorded.
He told the court that the CAA was about to interview him when he died.
He added that, in January 2007, Gloucestershire Airport refused to loan him a plane because of concerns over his capabilities.
"The variability of his performance as a pilot is curious. It is very odd that he was able to pass a skills test then a short time later have such issues to find a course on the flight to Scotland," he said.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death for Jamie and of death by misadventure for Mr Gunter.
Mr Woodburn said: "The lack of experience and the lack of judgment led to an error in the angle of take-off and it was too late for any reasonable measure to be taken.
"He carried out an act of flying this plane and taking ecstasy knowing that there were question marks over his competence.
"Jamie was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Outside court, Mr Clapp, 66, clutching a photograph of his son and speaking through his barrister, Michael O'Neil, said he would never have allowed Jamie to fly if he had known of Mr Gunter's flying record.
Mr O'Neil said: "Mr Clapp knew nothing of the pilot's use of drugs or his lack of flying skills.
"Like any other father, he would never knowingly put his son's life at risk."
Jamie's mother, Alison Smart, 41, who is divorced from Mr Clapp and has remarried, said Mr Gunter should never have been able to fly that fateful day.
"Jamie was a lovely, bubbly, gorgeous boy and he was loved by all," she said.
"My heart is broken and will never mend.
"This tragic and sudden loss should never have happened and could have been prevented if the responsible organisations had been doing their jobs properly."
Mr Clapp is fundraising to create a £50,000 skateboard park in memory of his son.
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