The Fairey Firefly aircraft just before it crashed

Lt Cdr William Murton, 45, and Neil Rix , 29, died on 12 July 2003 during the show in Cambridgeshire.

Witnesses said they believed the vintage Fairey Firefly was too low and one said it may have stalled.

Lt Cdr David Mackay, who taught Lt Comm Murton to fly the plane, said he was satisfied with his qualifications.

"I saw nothing that gave me any concern with him as a display pilot," he said.

'No pressure'

He had not seen Lt Cdr Murton perform the manoeuvre which he was carrying out when he crashed, the Derry Roll, but he knew of "no pressure financial or otherwise to put on a particularly eye-catching show".

The Firefly had been taking part in the two-day Flying Legends air show at Duxford's Imperial War Museum at Duxford.

The jury was shown a video made up from clips shot on the day which showed the crash and the moments leading up to it.

Lt Cdr Murton, a pilot with the Royal Naval Historic Flight (RNHF) based in Yeovilton, Somerset, had been performing the Derry Roll when the plane lost height and ploughed into a corn field next to the M11 motorway.

Lt Cdr Murton was thrown from the wreckage and Mr Rix's body was found in the wreckage. Both died from multiple injuries.

The vintage plane crashed close to the M11

Post-mortem examinations found no evidence that either man had been under the influence of drink or drugs and there was no evidence Lt Cdr Murton suffered a heart attack or any other health problems.

The inquest heard Mr Rix, an aircraft fitter with the RNHF, had been responsible for the Firefly.

One witness to the crash said he thought the plane may have stalled just before it hit the ground. Others said they thought the plane was too low.

Lt Cdr Mackay said the plane, which was completely refitted in 2002, was certainly capable of the manoeuvre.

"I myself had flown this manoeuvre many times. However it was not a terribly powerful aeroplane. It was not underpowered but needed to be handled with a bit of care."