| Woman killed on first parachute jump |
A British woman died when the plane taking her for her first parachute jump crashed.
Moments after the Cessna 206, carrying mother-of-two Susan Williams took off, it nosedived into a dam in Queensland, Australia.
The 49-year-old British Army officer's wife - who was inspired to 'have a go' at parachuting by her husband, a qualified skydiver - was killed with 4 others on board, including another Briton.
The family moved from Farnborough to Canungra, near Brisbane, in 2002 when her Army major husband John was posted to Australia. Mrs Williams had arranged to go on a tandem jump.
The Brisbane Skydiving Centre plane took off from Willowbank airfield near Ipswich, 45 miles west of Brisbane, and crashed into a dam 500 meters away.
Coroner Stephen Beck said the report into the crash by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the plane was 200lb over the recommended weight. The floor restraints holding the jumpers in place were insufficient and the fuel did not conform to recognized safety standards.
The other Briton killed was instructor Colin Hicklin, 41, from Walsall. Irish-born instructor Nigel O'Gorman, 34, also died along with two Australians - the 22-year-old pilot Anthony Winter and 40-yearold skydiver Barbara McLelland.
Brian Scoffell, 57, owner of the skydiving centre, and Mandy Best, 27, of Brisbane, survived the crash.
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