Accident

Martin and Nora Gardner, both aged 56, died when their aircraft came down about two miles north of Wallasey in July 2004.

Police had raided the trained pilot's home looking for child pornography two days before his plane plummeted into Liverpool Bay on Sunday, July 4.

On Tuesday HM Coroner for Wirral, Christopher Johnson, dismissed the idea that the crash may have been a suicide.

And he condemned newspaper reports that had suggested a link between the investigation and the crash.

Mr Johnson said: "There is not one shred of evidence to suggest that Mr Gardner deliberately crashed his plane into the sea."

Wirral Coroner's Court heard that water found in its fuel tank may have caused the engine failure that led to the crash.

An investigation revealed that Mr Gardner, from Lyme Street in Haydock, had found large amounts of water in the fuel tank during pre-flight checks.

He had asked for the samples to be kept for closer inspection when he returned.

Philip Sleight, a senior inspector for Air Accident Investigations Branch, said: "You normally don't find any water in the fuel - it is extremely unlikely to find more water than fuel, as in this case.

"The question of water in the fuel remains a mystery."

The expert said that the water could not have come from refuelling and not from rainwater, as there had been no rainfall the night before the accident.

He said another possible cause of failure may have been the 'icing up' of the engine carburettor, though a heating system should have prevented this.

And the court heard that the plane had been flown the day before with no problems.

The couple had left Liverpool John Lennon Airport just after noon.

Mr Gardner, who managed a Renault garage in Carlisle, flew south down to Chester and then turned back towards Liverpool.

Around 12.38pm he made an urgency 'pan call', saying he was losing power and height.

Moments later, the pilot made a 'mayday' distress call and said he was going to 'ditch' the aircraft.

A witness described his voice as "calm with no evidence of panic".

The four-seat Piper Cherokee plane came down shortly after 12.45pm and is said to have sunk rapidly.

Wing Commander Graeme Maidment, forensic pathologist, determined the pair had died from drowning and suffered multiple injuries.

Both were alive at the time of impact but may have been unconscious due to their injuries and unable to escape the plane.

Members deliberated for about 30 minutes before delivering their verdicts of accidental death.