§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates, locations, aircraft types and circumstances of all incidents since June 1993 in which military aircraft have made unintentional contact with the ground or with ground features with special reference to trees and power lines; and which of these incidents involved breaches of low flying regulations. [19744]
654W
§ Mr. SoamesThe information requested for the Army Air Corps and RAF is as follows:
Date Location Type Circumstances 14 October 1993 Lyneham RAF Hercules Struck obstruction on approach to land in turbulent conditions 15 November 1993 Kafjord, Norway RAF Harrier Wirestrike 2 January 1994 Northern Ireland RAF Wessex Wirestrike 19 March 1994 Salisbury plain RAF Puma Struck a tree whilst positioning to land 18 May 1994 20 nautical miles north-west of Oban RAF Puma Wirestrike 25 May 1994 Salisbury plain AAC Lynx Main rotors hit trees whilst the aircraft was hovering 10 October 1994 BATUS, Canada AAC Gazelle Strong gust of wind caused the nose to pitch up and tail to hit the ground shortly after take-off 17 October 1994 Germany RAF Puma Wirestrike 24 January 1995 Northern Ireland RAF Puma Main rotors severed power cable on landing 1 February 1995 Salisbury plain AAC Gazelle Main rotors hit some branches whilst the aircraft was hovering 19 October 1995 Sennybridge RAF Puma Rotor blades struck a tree following uncommanded yaw on landing 28 February 1996 Northern Ireland AAC Lynx Tail of the aircraft struck the ground during landing The Royal Navy does not hold this information centrally and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
None of the incidents was formally classified as a breach of United Kingdom military low flying regulations.