▁The ▁incident ▁occurred ▁at ▁the ▁Red ▁Ar rows ' ▁home ▁base , ▁R AF ▁Sc am pton ▁in ▁Lincoln shire , ▁England . ▁The ▁init iation ▁of ▁the ▁e jection ▁seat ▁was ▁assumed ▁to ▁be ▁by ▁accident . ▁The ▁par ach ute ▁on ▁the ▁seat ▁did ▁not ▁deploy ▁and ▁C unning ham ▁fell , ▁still ▁stra pped ▁to ▁the ▁seat , ▁ ▁to ▁his ▁death ▁ ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁motion less ▁aircraft . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁in ▁the ▁pro sec ution ▁brought ▁by ▁the ▁Health ▁and ▁Saf ety ▁Executive , ▁Martin - B aker , ▁the ▁manufact ur ers ▁of ▁the ▁seat , ▁ple aded ▁guilty ▁to ▁a ▁bre ach ▁of ▁health ▁and ▁safety ▁law ▁regarding ▁C unning ham ' s ▁death . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Martin - B aker ▁were ▁f ined ▁£ 1 . 1 mill ion . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁C unning ham ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Johannes burg , ▁South ▁Africa , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁His ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁nine ▁years ▁old ▁and ▁settled ▁in ▁the ▁Er nes ford ▁G range ▁area ▁of ▁Cov entry . ▁C unning ham ▁attended ▁Er nes ford ▁G range ▁School ▁and ▁lear nt ▁to ▁fly , ▁gain ing ▁his ▁pilot ' s ▁lic ence ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 . ▁Despite ▁a ▁prom ising ▁career ▁in ▁football , ▁after ▁university ▁C unning ham