HC Deb 24 April 1989 vol 151 cc364-6W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement about the crash of a United States Air Force A-10 Tankbuster jet from RAF Bentwaters at Bank farm, Benwick near Chatteris, Cambridgeshire;

(2) if he will make a statement about each crash in the United Kingdom or its territorial waters of United States Air Force jets in the last year; what risk to life was involved; and what armaments they were carrying.

Mr. Neubert

During the last year, three United States Air Force aircraft have been lost in accidents in the United Kingdom, as follows:

  1. i. 22 December 1988: and A-10 aircraft crashed near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, during a routine training flight. The pilot successfully ejected.
  2. ii. 4 April 1989: an A-10 aircraft crashed on landing at RAF Alconbury. The pilot was uninjured.
  3. iii. 17 April 1989: and A-10 aircraft crashed during a routine training flight on open farmland one mile south of Benwick, Cambridgeshire. The pilot was killed.

Date Tail Type/Mark Station Fatalities Unit
30 April 1975 XX831 Jaguar T2 Lossiemouth 0 226 OCU
5 February 1976 XX137 Jaguar T2 Lossiemouth 0 226 OCU
2 July 1976 XX822 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 1 14 SQN
15 September 1976 XX735 Jaguar GR1 Coltishall 1 6SQN
17 September 1976 XX120 Jaguar GR1 Coltishall 1 54 SQN
14 December 1976 XZ102 Jaguar GR1 Laarbruch 0 2 SQN
25 February 1977 XZ120 Jaguar GR1 Laarbruch 1 2 SQN
14 June 1977 XX978 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 1 31 SQN
29 July 1977 XX148 Jaguar T2 Lossiemouth 2 226 OCU
21 March 1978 XX971 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 31 SQN
27 April 1978 XX149 Jaguar T2 Lossiemouth 2 226 OCU
25 July 1978 XX823 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 1 17 SQN
1 November 1978 XX759 Jaguar GR1 Lossiemouth 1 226 OCU
26 March 1979 XX147 Jaguar T2 Bruggen 0 17 SQN
22 June 1979 XX142 Jaguar T2 Lossiemouth 2 226 OCU
18 July 1979 XX960 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 14 SQN
23 November 1979 XX762 Jaguar GR1 Lossiemouth 1 226 OCU
10 December 1979 XX755 Jaguar GR1 Lossiemouth 1 226 OCU
10 December 1979 XX749 Jaguar GR1 Lossiemouth 0 226 OCU
28 May 1980 XX964 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 17 SQN
28 May 1980 XX961 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 1 17 SQN
17 July 1980 XX817 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 17 SQN
12 February 1981 XX827 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 1 17 SQN
14 April 1981 XX973 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 31 SQN
1 June 1981 XX828 Jaguar T2 Lossiemouth 0 226 OCU
17 July 1981 XXI13 Jaguar GR1 Abingdon 0 MU
6 August 1981 XX972 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 1 31 SQN
21 October 1981 XX957 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 20 SQN
18 November 1981 XX758 Jaguar GR1 Lossiemouth 1 226 OCU
2 April 1982 XX122 Jaguar GR1 Coltishall 1 54 SQN
25 May 1982 XX963 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 14 SQN
11 June 1982 XX820 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 31 SQN
13 September 1982 XX760 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 14 SQN
29 September 1982 XX768 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 17 SQN
7 March 1983 XZ376 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 17 SQN
19 April 1983 XX742 Jaguar GR1 Coltishall 0 6 SQN
16 June 1983 XZ105 Jaguar GR1 Laarbruch 0 2 SQN
16 June 1983 XZ110 Jaguar GR1 Laarbruch 0 2 SQN
22 June 1983 XX721 Jaguar GR1 Coltishall 0 54 SQN
19 September 1983 XXI14 Jaguar GR1 Lossiemouth 0 226 OCU
7 February 1984 XX750 jaeuar GR1 Coltishall 1 6 SQN
12 July 1984 XZ393 Jaguar GR1A Coltishall 0 54 SQN
22 August 1984 XZ395 Jaguar GR1A Coltishall 0 54 SQN
1 April 1985 XZ388 Jaguar GR1 Bruggen 0 14 SQN
9 July 1985 XX365 Jaguar GR1A Laarbruch 0 2 SQN
7 October 1985 XX728 Jaguar GR1A Coltishall 0 6 SQN
7 October 1985 XX731 Jaguar GR1 Coltishall 1 6 SQN

In each case the aircraft was equipped with GAU7 anti-tank guns and practice ammunition. No civilians were injured as a result of any of these accidents.