Disability campaigner Claire Lomas, 44, died from injuries sustained when her microlight veered off a runway in Jordan and struck a large rock, an inquest heard. The crash occurred while she was filming content for an Apple TV series promoting the Vision Pro headset.
Crash and Fatal Injuries
Lomas, who was paralysed from the chest down after a horse riding accident in 2007, was piloting an adapted microlight at the time of the crash on 15 July. She was taken to King Hussein medical centre in Amman, where she died on 22 August, five weeks after the incident.
Senior coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire, Louise Pinder, told the inquest at County Hall in Glenfield, Leicester, that Lomas suffered multiple severe traumatic injuries during the crash. The hearing was told that Lomas had been wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset and was filming content for a series promoting the product.
Apple Commissioned Series
Lina Zilinskaite, senior producer for Atlantic Productions, said Apple had commissioned her company to create the series. Lomas was one of several athletes selected to perform challenges or feats in different episodes. Zilinskaite described Lomas as “very enthusiastic and keen and excited about the opportunity”.
Lomas had obtained a microlight flying licence years before the series was commissioned, according to Zilinskaite. Ben Ashman, a microlight designer and manufacturer, confirmed Lomas had purchased her own adapted aircraft between 2022 and 2023, modified to accommodate her inability to use her feet.
Flight Details and Aftermath
The flight had been scheduled for the day before the crash but was cancelled due to strong winds. Test flights using the Vision Pro had been conducted in the UK without Lomas, and she had previously flown the microlight herself without wearing the headset.
On the day of the crash, Lomas took off without issue and flew for about 15 minutes before attempting to land. Her approach was “not quite straight on”, causing her to veer off the runway and hit a large rock. After the crash, Lomas was “excited” to return to the UK and see her family, but her condition deteriorated after contracting an infection, which led to her death.
Family Concerns and Inquest
Lomas’s family raised concerns about the quality of care at the Jordanian hospital, but Coroner Pinder said it was not within her jurisdiction to investigate that formally. The inquest continues.
