"Many Photos" - Family of millionaire couple killed in plane crash sue makers for £3million

Lewis and Sally Tonkinson (pictured) died in a crash when their 'kit-built' Alpi Pioneer plane hit tress and then plummeted to the ground

The family of a millionaire couple who were killed when their light aircraft crashed are suing the people who made the plane for £3million in compensation.

Marketing tycoon Lewis and wife Sally Tonkinson were killed when their £100,000 'kit-built' Alpi Pioneer plane struck trees and hit the ground at Popham Airfield, Hampshire, in January 2015.

Mr Tonkinson, who was at the controls of the aircraft, had diverted to Popham due to tricky flying weather, but his plane's engine 'seized and then stalled' as he came in to land.

The 50-year-old was flying his wife and son George home from the Isle of Wight so that his child could attend a birthday party when tragedy struck.

His daughter Hayley Tonkinson, 30, is spearheading a court fight for damages by surviving family members.

The family's barrister, Lionel Stride, told London's High Court that super-rich Mr Tonkinson had held a flying licence for seven years before his death in the crash.

The couple's son George, then aged six, was on board the doomed plane and was badly injured but survived the impact - after his dad warned him to 'brace' as the plane came down.

Pictured: Wreckage at the scene of the crash in 2015, where the marketing tycoon and his wife died when their plane went down

The Alpi Pioneer light aircraft crashed into trees and then hit the ground, killing the married couple but their son survived (pictured, an aircraft similar to the one they were flying) 

Hayley, from Birmingham, is Sally's daughter from a previous marriage, and the step-daughter of Lewis, who were both from Alcester, Warwickshire.

She is leading five relatives battling individuals and companies linked to the manufacture, design and safety assessment of the plane.

Before her parents' deaths Hayley was holding down a high-powered job with Barclays Bank and had stellar career prospects, court documents disclosed.

She tried to carry on but said the impact of the accident on the family made it impossible to continue her high-pressure work and she resigned.

Among those being sued are Frank Cavaciuti, of Abergavenny, Gwent, who sold the aircraft to Mr Tonkinson for £104,000 in 2014, lawyers claim.

Hayley Tonkinson (pictured, right, with her mother Sally, left) is leading a group of relatives suing individuals and companies over the deadly crash 

The plane was 'the first of its kind' to be sold and flight tested in the UK but lawyers say it was defective due to faulty wiring.

But Mr Cavaciuti, 74, denies responsibility and says the plane should never have taken off due to poor weather. He says that pilot error was to blame for the tragedy.

Also in the firing line are Italian aircraft firm Alpi Aviation SRL - said to have been responsible for the original 'design and manufacture of the aircraft'. They also deny liability.

Mr Cavaciuti, a veteran aviator and light aircraft enthusiast, helped build the plane at Alpi Aviation under the company's supervision, he says in his defence.

But he insists he did not install the wiring or commission the engine which 'seized'. He also says the aircraft was inspected on 'multiple occasions'.

The seven-figure claim is also being brought against the engine suppliers, those responsible for flight testing, and the Civil Aviation Authority. In total there are 13 defendants to the claim.

Frank Cavaciuti (pictured) says that the plane never should have taken off on the day of the fatal crash due to weather conditions 

In a legal twist Hayley is also bringing an alternative claim against her step-father's estate and his insurers.

The 'highly complex multi-party action' reached London's High Court this week in a pre-trial face-off between lawyers debating issues including the spiraling costs of the litigation. One of the key questions in the case is the cause of the crash.

Hayley's legal team says her step-father may have unwittingly moved the throttle to a dangerous setting after an orange warning light flashed due to a 'technical malfunction'.

'The engine failed in all likelihood because Mr Tonkinson moved the throttle to a setting where a damaging level of pressure was reached,' said Mr Stride.

But the barrister also claimed the plane was defective because faulty wiring triggered the orange warning light, and because its engine was 'underpowered in a critical phase of flight'.

Negligence is denied by all defendants and the full trial is fixed to start next year. 

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News Photo Family of millionaire couple killed in plane crash sue makers for £3million
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