THE Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has refused to accept safety recommendations made as a result of a fatal mid-air clash between two gliders near Lasham.

The accident, which happened in April 2004, claimed the life of 68-year-old Alan Purnell, an experienced glider pilot from Fleet, while the pilot of the other glider involved was forced to parachute to safety.

Both gliders had taken off from Lasham airfield and their wreckage crashed into fields and a garden shed near the A339.

Mr Purnell was declared dead at the scene as a result of multiple injuries and an inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death in September 2004.

A report into the accident prepared by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the Department for Transport recommended that the CAA look into the adoption of visual and electronic measures to make gliders more detectable in the air. It also suggested that the British Gliding Association review its operational advice to pilots.

However, an update published by the AAIB states that "the CAA does not accept this recommendation" on the grounds that it has already carried out a review into using visual and electronic beacons on gliders and has no regulatory powers to require adoption of them.

A response from the British Gliding Association is still being awaited.