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Drugs riddle of air crash pilot
Reporter: Karen Doherty
Date online: 03 March 2010
A FATHER-OF-TWO who “packed everything into his life” had traces of cannabis in his system when his aircraft crashed on Saddleworth Moor.
Niall Gover (41) died instantly when the two-seater CTSW microlight plummeted in poor weather conditions.
The ex-Army man (pictured) was found in the wreckage by farmer Christopher Crowther close to the A635 Isle of Skye Road, Greenfield, on October 8, 2008.
An inquest heard yesterday how a metabolite in his blood indicated that he had used cannabis at some stage, but not in the hours before his death.
Mr Gover, from Stockport, was said to be staunchly anti-drugs. No explanation was given for the presence of the chemical.
Coroner Simon Nelson said: “It would be wrong for me to include within my decision any suggestion as to the influence of toxicology findings without having definitive evidence.”
Mr Gover was flying from Barton Aerodrome to a small private airstrip in Oakham, Rutland. However, he became embroiled in poor weather conditions at 3,000ft.
Tim Atkinson, a senior inspector from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, told the inquest that Mr Gover’s chief flying instructor had concerns about his judgement of weather.
The aircraft did not have instruments to fly in poor visibility.
Mr Atkinson said: “The picture is very clearly one of good conditions near Manchester, but with cloud, strong winds and very poor visibility over Saddleworth Moor.”
The court also heard that Mr Gover’s pilot’s licence had expired five months before his death. He didn’t have a radio licence either. Mr Atkinson described those breaches as “technical offences” which “did not cause or contribute to the accident”.
Mr Gover’s father, Peter, an RAF jet instructor, said his son had left the Army in 2000 after being wrongly accused of cannabis use following routine drugs tests.
“It was overthrown because the samples were mislabelled,” he said. “It was somebody else’s sample.”
Mr Gover owned Orchards Day Nursery in Heaton Moor with his partner Sharon Mills, who said that he “packed everything into his life”.
Ms Mills said: “He couldn’t stand drugs at all. I am still surprised at the result.”
Mr Gover leaves children Charlotte (7) and four-year-old Max.
Coroner Simon Nelson recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Comments
Shame on you Oldham Chronicle for printing this head line "DRUGS RIDDLE........." the trace of Cannabis wasn't a contributing factor to the crash so why the headline?
Let me get this right. Thrown out of the army because a routine drugs test revealed traces of cannabis but they were someone elses? A post-mortem revealed traces of cannabis in his system. He had no pilots licence or radio licence? Its a massive shame for his wife and kids. Overall I smell a rat.
There's no need to worry Old_Mancunian. The Media distorts the drug problem. Granted that a significant minority take some form of drug (for whatever reason) but the vast majority of us still haven't. Over here the consequences of being involved in drugs are far harsher than in the UK and the death penalty is mandatory for anyone caught trafficking.
Think positively - if the Media headlines read (for example) '90% of te population have never taken drugs' would it get a second glance? Doubtful!
Have Your Say
It is a sad fact, that because of inept governments (Labour AND Tory) our drugs control is useless. The media doesn't help with models, singers and film stars regularly using drugs and making it socially acceptable. Not to mention MP's who take the stuff.
The real trajedy is that in the not too distant future I will be in the minority as a person who has never even been tempted by drugs.
By Old_Mancunian @ 03/03/2010 15:42:48