§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 14 October,1092W Official Report, column 476, on what date the F3 Tornado which crashed on Blackpool beach in September, received its certificate of airworthiness. [41070]
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 14 October,Official Report, column 484, by whom the investigation into the crash of the Tornado F3 off Blackpool on 28 September will be carried out. [41336]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe Tornado F3 that crashed near Blackpool on 28 September 1996 had been authorised to fly by the Ministry of Defence on the same day as the accident.
The authorisation was issued, at British Aerospace Warton where the aircraft was being refurbished, in accordance with standard procedures for aircraft undergoing such work.
The aircraft which crashed was the ninth of a series of 16 aircraft being refurbished by British Aerospace. The previous eight had already been returned to the RAF in fully operational condition.
A Ministry of Defence board of inquiry is under way into the causes of the crash and not one by the Department of Transport as suggested by my right hon. Friend on 14 October, Official Report, column 484.