THE reason for a crash which claimed the life of glider pilot Keith McPhee is still a mystery, an inquest heard this week.

The 67-year-old from Woodlands, Pickwick, Corsham, died in September 2006 after his glider lurched to the right and flipped over as it took off at Keevil Airfield.

He suffered massive head injuries and died after being in a coma for three days at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

But the reason why Mr McPhee's glider drifted to the right remains a mystery and a jury returned a verdict of misadventure.

He was still attached to the winch, which allowed the glider to get up to speed, and it is believed he tried to disconnect using a knob in the cockpit as he realised the glider was out of control.

But in doing so he may have forced his glider even more to the right as he moved the control stick to reach the release knob.

Air accident investigators told the inquest at Trowbridge on Tuesday they were unable to establish why the wing dropped.

His first attempt at launching was aborted after he overran the winch cable but after being pushed back into place Mr McPhee, a retired RAF group captain, started his second attempt normally.

But soon after wing walker Graham Bye let go, the glider leaned to the right causing the wing to touch the ground.

The plane was then airborne at around 100 feet.

It flipped and landed on its roof with the winch still attached.

Mr McPhee, who was an experienced pilot with over 100 hours flying experience from 214 flights, was pulled out by friends.

He was taken by air ambulance to Frenchay Hospital, in Bristol where he died on September 26.

The inquest was told he had suffered multiple fractures to his skull, and brain injuries.

Mr David Masters, the coroner for Swindon and Wiltshire said he had concerns about the configuration of the control panel.

He asked the British Gliding Association to remind its members that modifications had been undertaken to improve the gliders.

Mr McPhee's widow, Mary, was in court along with daughter Karen.

Son Robert, who lives in Malmesbury, is training to be a pilot with British Airways and missed the inquest. Mrs McPhee said: "My husband abhorred the modern day culture of blame. He said we were all responsible for our own actions. He felt that once a pilot was seated in his aircraft he was in control for whatever happened.

"He would have been very upset if he felt that his death would have caused problems."