§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the accident involving a Tornado aircraft at Royal Air Force Cottesmore on 3 August.
§ Mr. SoamesThe incident involved an Italian air force Tornado based at RAF Cottesmore, which was on this 943W occasion being flown by a German air force instructor pilot and a German air force navigator. After a normal approach to landing with the undercarriage down and locked, the Tornado sank on to the runway with its undercarriage fully retracted. It came to rest on the runway and both crew emerged without injury.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the accident to Tornado F.3 ZG751 during 1993; and what is the current status of the aircraft.
§ Mr. SoamesTornado F3 aircraft ZG751 has not been involved in any accidents since it entered service. It is currently in service with No. 11 group of the RAF. The only Tornado F3 aircraft to be involved in an accident in 1993 was ZE858. A copy of the accident summary for this aircraft is in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the collision between two Royal Air Force Tornados over Canada on 1 August.
§ Mr. SoamesThe RAF board of inquiry into this accident is not yet complete. A summary of its findings will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.