1990 Scotland RAF Shackleton crash

Last updated

Avro 696 Shackleton AEW2, UK - Air Force AN1599437.jpg
Avro Shackleton WR965
Accident
Date30 April 1990 (1990-04-30)
Summary Controlled flight into terrain
Sitenear Tarbert, Scotland
57°48′17″N7°03′20″W / 57.8048°N 7.0556°W / 57.8048; -7.0556
Aircraft
Aircraft type Avro Shackleton
Aircraft nameDylan
OperatorEnsign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
Call signGambia Zero 8
Registration WR965
Flight origin RAF Lossiemouth
Destination RAF Benbecula
Crew10
Fatalities10

On 30 April 1990, a Royal Air Force Avro Shackleton AEW Mk II aircraft, of No. 8 Squadron RAF, based at RAF Lossiemouth, crashed into a hill on the Isle of Harris whilst attempting to land at RAF Benbecula. All ten crew on board died in the crash, which included the wing commander who was in charge of No. 8 Squadron at the time. The Shackleton was the last of the fleet to be involved in a fatal accident, and the type was withdrawn from RAF service in 1991.

Contents

A Board of Inquiry (BoI) later determined the accident as a controlled flight into terrain, but could not ascertain as to why.

Background

WR965 was introduced into RAF service in 1957, originally sent to RAF Khormaksar, and served on No.s 37, 38, 203, 204, 205 and 224 Squadrons before its conversion to an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft in the early 1970s. [1] The need for an AEW platform was brought about by the retirement of the Royal Navy Fairey Gannet airframe. No. 8 Squadron RAF, started flying the Avro Shackleton aircraft in 1971. [2] The Shackleton itself, was a stop-gap measure that was developed from the MR2 Shackleton variant, which was developed from the original bomber type from Avro which had descended from their Lancaster and Lincoln aircraft. [3] The Nimrod AEW was to have assumed the role of the Shackleton's in the mid-1980s, but the technological problems proved "insurmountable", and so that programme was cancelled in favour of the Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft in December 1986. [4] [5]

The squadron was based at RAF Lossiemouth at the time of the crash, and all of their aircraft were named after characters in the children's TV programme, The Magic Roundabout . [6] The aircraft as a whole were collectively referred to as Growlers, on account of the engine noise, and the Old Grey ladies, due to their colour scheme. [7] The engines were noisy due to their contra-rotating propellers. [2]

Incident

WR965, had taken off from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, at 8:00 am on 30 April 1990, with a callsign of Gambia Zero 8 and had flown 150 miles (240 km) to the Outer Hebrides. [8] [9] The aircraft had been partaking in a military exercise (Ex Bushfire) when the accident occurred. The radar on board the aircraft had been turned off due to the parameters of part of the exercise, which involved "mutual training" with a Tornado F3 aircraft. [10] Early reports by eye-witnesses lead to accusations that a missile strike was responsible for bringing the aircraft down, something which the RAF denied. [11]

Just before 12:00, the pilot radioed ahead to RAF Benbecula to ask for an approach, stating that the aircraft was 20 miles (32 km) out. Permission was given for a landing from the west and the aircraft was seen to circle at least twice by RAF personnel on the island before it crashed into Maodal, an 800-foot (240 m) high peak near the village of Northton, (at grid reference NF998907 ). [12] [13] The weather was described as "poor" and WR965 was said to have been flying at a low altitude, [14] (one witness claimed that had the aircraft been 2 feet (0.61 m) higher, then it would have cleared the peak easily). [15]

Despite the remote landscape, emergency services and members of the public were quickly on the scene, but the first police officer said "We came across debris and then some bodies and we knew it was really bad. Helicopters arrived from Lossiemouth and it was a very, very busy scene. We could only account for nine from the plane and some of us were sent to the back of the hill to see if someone had survived and had walked off in a daze. We were later told there was nobody alive." [16]

Crew

A normal operational sortie for a Shackleton in the AEW role, consisted of a crew of nine; a pilot, a co-pilot, a flight engineer and a navigator (plotter) who made up the flight deck crew, and a radar team of five. The radar team consisted of a Tactical Co-ordinator (TACO),always a commissioned officer, and a mixture of controllers and operators. The team could be drawn from any of the radar trades established on the sqn (radar navigator, air electronics officer and operator, fighter controller officer or NCO). As squadron strength reduced in preparation for the replacement of the Shackleton AEW2 by the Sentry AEW 1 (AWACS) crews frequently flew with 4 man radar teams. This was so on the day of the accident, with two station personnel also on board. [7] The aircraft Captain was Wing Commander Stephen Roncoroni, Officer Commanding No. 8 Squadron at the time. [17]

Aftermath and inquiry

Memorial on Maodal Memorial on Maodal - geograph.org.uk - 832568.jpg
Memorial on Maodal

Two days later, a private notice question in the House of Commons discussed the matter with some stating that cutbacks in the number of aircraft had led to operational inefficiencies. Allan Rogers, then opposition MP for defence, stated that "It is with these cutbacks that we get such tragedies as this. It is a task which has been made extremely difficult in recent years because of cutbacks in operational Shackletons from eleven to six in this squadron." [18]

Three days later, ten coffins were taken across the island to be flown by RAF Hercules, from RAF Stornoway, back to the base at RAF Lossiemouth. [17] More than 2,500 people lined the streets on the isle of Harris to witness the event. [19] On 31 May 1990, a memorial service was held in one of the hangars that No. 8 Squadron operated from at RAF Lossiemouth. [20]

A Board of Inquiry determined that the Shackleton had its radar turned off as part of the exercise with a Tornado F3 aircraft. It radioed RAF Benbecula for an approach, stating they were 20 miles (32 km) west of the airfield, however, it was determined they were actually 12 miles (19 km) north of Benbecula. [13] [21] At 11:34 am, the crew radioed Benbecula tower to inform them that the weather was too bad for an approach, and that they were turning right and climbing to try again; this was the last transmission from the aircraft before the crash. Benbecula tower asked them to relay their last message again as the transmission was distorted. [13]

The aircraft crashed 30 feet (9.1 m) below the summit with all four engines "developing cruise power" (what is known as Controlled Flight Into Terrain). Meteorological evidence from the day suggests that the cloudbase extended from 200 feet (61 m) above sea level to 3,000 feet (910 m) for the tips of the clouds. [13] The official conclusion of the board of inquiry was;

...that the accident was caused because the aircraft was flown below a safe altitude in unsuitable weather conditions; the board were unable to determine the reasons for this. [22]

The Shackleton fleet was due to be replaced by an upgraded Nimrod variant aircraft, but this was dropped in favour of the Sentry AWACS platform. [23]

A memorial is located on Maodal (at grid reference NF997904 ) and includes the Orange Harvest ESM receiver that was affixed to the top of WR965 Dylan when it crashed. [24] The crew are remembered on Panel 201 of the Armed Forces Memorial, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. [25]

Aircraft losses

Besides the Shackleton crash, two other RAF aircraft crashed on the same day, though without fatalities. A Tornado GR1 (ZA454) crashed at Goose Bay in Canada after an engine fire, and a Phantom FGR2 (XV402) suffered a damaged wheel and fire on the underside of the aircraft on landing at RAF Valley. [26] [27] [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawker Siddeley Nimrod</span> Maritime patrol aircraft family by Hawker Siddeley, later British Aerospace

The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod is a retired maritime patrol aircraft developed and operated by the United Kingdom. It was an extensive modification of the de Havilland Comet, the world's first operational jet airliner. It was originally designed by de Havilland's successor firm, Hawker Siddeley; further development and maintenance work was undertaken by Hawker Siddeley's own successor companies, British Aerospace and, later, BAE Systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Shackleton</span> British long-range maritime patrol aircraft

The Avro Shackleton is a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a development of the famous wartime Avro Lancaster bomber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Lossiemouth</span> Royal Air Force main operating base in Moray, Scotland

Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Kinloss</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Moray, Scotland

Royal Air Force Kinloss, or more simply RAF Kinloss, is a former Royal Air Force station located near the village of Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north east of Scotland, UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 617 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron, originally based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and currently based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. It is commonly known as "The Dambusters", for its actions during Operation Chastise against German dams during the Second World War. In the early 21st century it operated the Panavia Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role until being disbanded on 28 March 2014. The Dambusters reformed on 18 April 2018, and was equipped at RAF Marham in June 2018 with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning, becoming the first squadron to be based in the UK with this advanced V/STOL type. The unit is composed of both RAF and Royal Navy personnel, and operates from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 8 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 8 Squadron of the Royal Air Force last operated the Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1 (AWACS) from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. As of 2020, the RAF AWACS fleet was made up of three Sentry AEW1s, down from seven originally ordered in the late 1980s. Pursuant to the 2021 defence review, the E-3D Sentry aircraft made its final flight in U.K. service in August 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 9 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 9 Squadron is the oldest dedicated Bomber Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Formed in December 1914, it saw service throughout the First World War, including at the Somme and Passchendaele. During the Second World War, No. IX (B) Squadron was one of two Avro Lancaster units specialising in heavy precision bombing and sank the battleship Tirpitz on 12 November 1944 in Operation Catechism. Between 1962 and April 1982, the squadron flew the Avro Vulcan B.2 as part of the V-Force. In June 1982, it became the first front-line squadron in the world to operate the Panavia Tornado GR.1. In May 1998, No. IX (B) Squadron received the RAF's first Tornado GR.4, which it operated until reequipping with the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 at its present home base of RAF Lossiemouth on 1 April 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 201 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 201 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It currently operates the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 from RAF Lossiemouth, Moray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 42 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 42 Squadron, also known as No. 42 Squadron, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It reformed at RAF Lossiemouth on 21 September 2023 as the Operational Conversion Unit for both the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 and Boeing Wedgetail AEW1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 120 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 120 Squadron or No. CXX Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force which was established as a Royal Flying Corps unit late in World War I, disbanded a year after the end of the war, then re-established as a RAF Coastal Command squadron during World War II. Although disbanded again a month after Victory in Europe Day, during and after World War II it operated almost continuously, with maritime patrol aircraft; most recently with the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland until the type's withdrawal in March 2010. The squadron was disbanded again the following year. No. 120 Squadron stood up again in April 2018 at RAF Lossiemouth and became the first squadron to be equipped with the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft on 31 October 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 12 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 12 Squadron, also known as No. 12 (Bomber) Squadron and occasionally as No. XII Squadron, is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The squadron reformed in July 2018 as a joint RAF/Qatar Emiri Air Force squadron. It is currently based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, and operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4, while temporarily integrating Qatari air and ground crews in order to provide training and support as part of the Qatari purchase of 24 Typhoons from the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 15 Squadron RAF</span> Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 15 Squadron, sometimes written as No. XV Squadron, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It most recently operated the Panavia Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth as No. XV (Reserve) Squadron. It was the RAF's Operational Conversion Unit for the Tornado GR4 which taught pilots and Weapon Systems Officers (WSO) how to fly the aircraft and what tactics to use to best exploit the performance of their aircraft and its weapons.

On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases. Each EAW has its own identity and is led by the Station Commander, supported by their Station management team. The deployable elements of the station structures form the core of each EAW, reinforced by elements of the Air Combat Service Support Units (ACSSUs). Flying and Force Protection force elements are attached to meet the requirements of each operation. EAWs enable the RAF to train as cohesive air power units which are prepared and capable of transitioning quickly from peacetime structures and deploying swiftly on operations in tailored packages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 18 Group RAF</span> Former Royal Air Force operations group

No. 18 Group of the Royal Air Force was a group active from 1918 to 1919, and from 1938 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3</span> Cancelled Airborne Early Warning aircraft project

The British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3 was a proposed airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft which was to provide airborne radar cover for the air defence of the United Kingdom by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The project was designed to use the existing Nimrod airframe, in use with the RAF as a maritime patrol aircraft, combined with a new radar system and avionics package developed by Marconi Avionics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairey Gannet AEW.3</span> British airborne early warning aircraft

The Fairey Gannet AEW.3 is a variant of the Fairey Gannet anti-submarine warfare aircraft intended to be used in the airborne early warning (AEW) role on aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy. It was introduced to service in 1959 to replace the obsolete Douglas Skyraider, and was intended as an interim solution until the planned introduction of a new, purpose built AEW platform for use on the planned CVA-01 aircraft carriers. Neither the new aircraft carriers nor the new AEW aircraft were proceeded with, and the Gannet AEW.3 remained in service until the last aircraft carrier that could operate it was retired in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Harvest</span>

Orange Harvest was an ESM receiver fitted to marine patrol Avro Shackletons during the Cold War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 Royal Air Force Nimrod R1 ditching</span> Aircraft accident in Scotland

On Tuesday 16 May 1995, a Royal Air Force Nimrod R1 aircraft suffered an in-flight engine fire which led to the aircraft having to ditch in the Moray Firth. This was the first of two Nimrods to be lost in 1995; it was followed by the crash of a Nimrod MR2 in Canada in September.

References

  1. ↑ "ROYAL AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT AT RAF KHORMAKSAR, ADEN, 1956-1958". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 Mallinson, Allan (30 April 2011). "Growling over the oceans: an unsung heroine of the Cold War". The Times. p. 90. ISSN   0140-0460.
  3. ↑ Taylor, John W R (November 1988). "Gallery of Western European airpower; bombers and maritime". Air Force Magazine. Vol. 71, no. 11. Arlington: The Air Force Association. p. 92. ISSN   0730-6784.
  4. ↑ Witherow, John (2 February 1986). "Museum piece plane guards Britain's skies - AEW controversy" . infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  5. ↑ Simons, Graham (2013). Comet! : the world's first jet airliner. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. p. 280. ISBN   9781781592793.
  6. ↑ Ferguson, Neil (2017). "6: The Squadrons". For the love of the Air Force: a companion. Chichester: Summersdale. p. 108. ISBN   9781786850652.
  7. 1 2 Harle, Jon (6 October 2018). "Magnificent men and their 'shack' flying machines". Press and Journal. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  8. ↑ Gill, Kerry (1 May 1990). "Crew of 10 killed as RAF Shackleton hits mountainside" . infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "RAF plane crash" . infoweb.newsbank.com. 30 April 1990. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  10. ↑ MAASS 1990, p. 1.
  11. ↑ Gill, Kerry (2 May 1990). "RAF denies that missile hit doomed Shackleton". The Times. No. 63, 695. p. 2. ISSN   0140-0460.
  12. ↑ "Harris air tragedy remembered 25 years on". The Stornoway Gazette. 9 May 2015. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 MAASS 1990, p. 2.
  14. ↑ "RAF remembrance service". infoweb.newsbank.com. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  15. ↑ "10 airmen killed as Shackleton hits hill". Herald Scotland. 1 May 1990. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  16. ↑ "RAF crash on Harris commemorated". BBC News. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  17. 1 2 "Shackleton crash bodies flown to RAF base". Herald Scotland. 3 May 1990. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  18. ↑ "Shackleton crash 'cuts' questioned - Parliament" . infoweb.newsbank.com. 2 May 1990. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  19. ↑ Wollard, Caroline. "Islanders pay tribute to victims of air crash". The National. p. 11. ISSN   2057-231X.
  20. ↑ "News 25 years ago" . infoweb.newsbank.com. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  21. ↑ Williams, Simon, ed. (21 February 2020). "Shackleton crash victims remembered". RAF News. No. 1, 485. p. 13. ISSN   0035-8614.
  22. ↑ MAASS 1990, p. 3.
  23. ↑ Haddon-Cave, Charles (2009). The Nimrod review : an independent review into the broader issues surrounding the loss of the RAF Nimrod MR2 aircraft XV230 in Afghanistan in 2006 : report. London: TSO. p. 18. ISBN   9780102962659.
  24. ↑ Wotherspoon, Nick; Clark, Alan; Sheldon, Mark (2009). Aircraft wrecks : the walker's guide : historic crash sites on the moors and mountains of the British Isles. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Aviation. p. 270. ISBN   978-1-84415-9109.
  25. ↑ "The Shackleton Association - Register". www.thegrowler.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  26. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 23 Oct 2000 (pt 6)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  27. ↑ Ranter, Harro. "Incident McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 XV402, 30 Apr 1990". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  28. ↑ Ranter, Harro. "Incident Panavia Tornado GR1 ZA454, 30 Apr 1990". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 February 2020.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.