HC Deb 24 February 1997 vol 291 cc114-5W
Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for State for Defence if the air display manoeuvres carried out by the Nimrod aircraft which crashed in Canada in September 1995 had been(a) reviewed and (b) authorised by (i) the station commander of RAF Kinloss and (ii) the Nimrod standards evaluation personnel. [16828]

Mr. Soames

The Nimrod display sequence had been reviewed and authorised by both the station commander at RAF Kinloss and air officer commanding No. 18 group. It should be noted that the accident was caused by the pilot, who made an error of judgment in modifying one of the manoeuvres after the display sequence had been authorised, and this led the aircraft to stall at a height and attitude from which recovery was impossible. Nimrod standards evaluation personnel have no responsibility for either reviewing or authorising display flying.