Paramotorist's Heartbreaking Testimony Reveals Trust in Co-Pilot Before Fatal Highlands Collision
Climate activist Sacha Dench, known as the "human swan" for her remarkable paramotor expeditions, has delivered emotional testimony at a fatal accident inquiry investigating the death of her fellow pilot Dan Burton. The 54-year-old experienced aviator died in a mid-air collision during their Round Britain Climate Challenge expedition in September 2021.
"I Trusted Dan Wholeheartedly"
Speaking at Tain Sheriff Court, Ms Dench revealed she had complete faith in Mr Burton's ability to maintain proper separation between their aircraft during their ambitious 3,000-mile journey around Britain. "I trusted Dan wholeheartedly to keep a safe distance," she told the inquiry, her voice breaking with emotion during several difficult moments that required adjournments for her to compose herself.
The expedition, which began in June 2021, was designed to highlight climate change issues ahead of the crucial COP26 conference scheduled for Glasgow later that year. Both pilots were using electric paramotors with limited battery life, requiring careful planning and coordination throughout their journey.
Protocols and Procedures Under Scrutiny
Fiscal Depute Jemma Eadie questioned Ms Dench about the expedition's safety protocols, particularly regarding the requirement for pilots to maintain a "safe distance" from each other. Video and photographic evidence presented to the inquiry showed the two pilots sometimes flying in formation during their journey.
Ms Dench explained they had established strict protocols for situations when Mr Burton needed to fly behind her, such as when taking photographs. "There were probably six or seven occasions where that was the case on this whole expedition," she testified. The protocol required Mr Burton to maintain safe separation while Ms Dench would only move if given specific instructions.
Defining Safe Distance Proves Challenging
When pressed to define what constituted a safe distance between paramotors, Ms Dench acknowledged the difficulty of providing specific measurements. "It would be difficult to put a specific number on it," she stated, explaining that such judgments depended on individual pilot assessment based on prevailing weather conditions and other factors.
The inquiry heard concerning details about the pilots' communication systems and operational procedures. Ms Dench revealed that using her phone's camera to take photographs or video during flights would cut off Bluetooth communications with Mr Burton and required removing her hands from some aircraft controls.
Experienced Pilots with Shared History
Ms Dench described Mr Burton as "highly experienced – potentially the most experienced expedition pilot I know." The two had first met around 2005-2006 during Ms Dench's free diving days and began flying paramotors together around 2012. They had previously collaborated on the celebrated Flight of the Swans expedition, documented by the BBC, and were planning future adventures in Africa.
The Round Britain Climate Challenge had originally been conceived as a continuous circumnavigation but was modified to consist of "a few segments" due to the 30-minute battery limitations of their electric motors. On the fateful day of September 18, 2021, the pair had planned to land near Ullapool but instead came down in an unexpected location following the collision.
Emotional Proceedings and Continuing Investigation
Throughout her testimony, Ms Dench struggled with visible emotion, breaking down in tears multiple times as she recounted details of the expedition and her relationship with Mr Burton. The Australian-born adventurer, who earned her "human swan" nickname by following migrating swans from Russia to Britain using paramotors, appeared genuinely devastated by the loss of her colleague and friend.
Mr Burton, originally from Devon, died at the scene while Ms Dench survived with serious injuries. The fatal accident inquiry had previously heard evidence during sessions in May of last year and January this year, with proceedings continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding this tragic aviation incident in the Scottish Highlands.
