§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many accidents and near-accidents have occurred in each of the last 10 years as a result of low-flying aircraft.
§ Mr. WellbelovedThe number of occasions on which aircraft of all three Services have been destroyed or seriously damaged during low-level flying over the United Kingdom are set out below:
1966 … … … 10 1967 … … … 2 1968 … … … 7 1969 … … … 6 1970 … … … 3 1971 … … … 3 1972 … … … 4 1973 … … … 6 1974 … … … 6 1975 … … … 8 Of the total of 55 aircraft destroyed or seriously damaged, 26 were helicopters.
There have been a number of occasions during this period when aircraft have sustained a lower level of damage, including 46 instances of bird-strike. It is a matter of subjective judgment as to how many of these lesser incidents might be described as "near-accidents".