§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when(a) the Royal Air Force Harrier GR 7 which crashed on 20 February at Southorpe, near Peterborough, Lincolnshire, (b) the two RAF Tornados which collided on 369W 10 January above the base at Coningsby, (c) the RAF Tornado which crashed on 11 January at RAF Bruggen, Germany and (d) the RAF Hawk trainer which crashed on take-off in February at RAF Valley, Anglesey last had a major service; by whom each was carried out; and if he will make a statement. [17914]
§ Mr. SoamesAll RAF aircraft are maintained in accordance with the appropriate authorised servicing cycle and approved maintenance procedures.
In addition to first and second line maintenance carried out at operating units by RAF tradesmen at 125, 250, 500 and 1,000 flying hours, RAF Tornado aircraft undergo a major service every 2,000 flying hours. This is carried out by the Maintenance Group Defence Agency at RAF St. Athan. Neither Tornado F3 ZE862 nor ZE166 had received their first major service, which would have become due at 2,000 flying hours. They had, however, been subject to appropriate levels of servicing in November 1995 and August 1995 respectively. Tornado GR1 ZD846's last major service was carried out in 1991, but it had been appropriately serviced in December 1995.
RAF Hawk aircraft undergo a major service every 2,000 flying hours. Hawk XX164's last major service was performed in 1991 at RAF Abingdon. The aircraft has since then received regular servicing, most recently in January 1996 when minor maintenance was carried out by RAF tradesmen at RAF Valley.
The design philosophy of the Harrier does not require it to undergo major servicing in the same way as the Tornado and Hawk. Harrier GR7 ZG476 completed a period of minor scheduled maintenance, the deepest servicing applicable to the Harrier GR7, at RAF Wittering in December 1995. This work was carried out by RAF tradesmen.
The separate boards of inquiry into these aircraft losses are ongoing. A summary of the board's findings will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the accident and involving a Royal Navy Harrier T 4N at RNAS Yeovilton on 27 June 1994; and if this accident is included in the accident rate figure for Royal Navy fixed-wing aircraft published in the 1995 edition of "UK Defence Statistics". [19759]
§ Mr. SoamesThe circumstances of the accident are as follows. During the final stages of approach for landing, following a general flying practice sortie, the aircraft's rate of descent increased, causing it to land heavily. Subsequent investigation revealed that the aircraft had struck the leading edge of the runway with sufficient force to remove the main undercarriage. Fuller details are given in the "Military Aircraft Accident Summary", copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
I can confirm that this accident was included in the accident rate figures for Royal Navy fixed-wing aircraft published in the 1995 edition of "UK Defence Statistics".