Red Arrows - Incidents and Accidents

Incidents and Accidents

Date Incident Details Notes
26 March 1969 (1969-03-26) A Gnat hit trees while joining formation during a practice at RAF Kemble one fatality.
16 December 1969 (1969-12-16) Two Gnats crashed, one at Kemble and the other in a field new Chelworth The pilots both ejected safely although a fire warning from air traffic was intended for only one of the aircraft.
1969 (1969) A Gnat crashed short of the RAF Fairford runway.
20 January 1971 (1971-01-20) Two Gnats collided during the cross-over manoeuvre four fatalities
17 May 1980 (1980-05-17) A Hawk hit a yacht mast at an air show in Brighton, Sussex The pilot ejected safely.
24 March 1984 (1984-03-24) A Hawk hit the ground at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, while practising a loop. The pilot was ejected from the plane by the force of the impact and suffered serious injuries.
1986 (1986) A Hawk rammed into the back of another on a runway.
1987 (1987) A Hawk crashed into a house in the neighbouring village of Welton, Lincolnshire while practising. Nobody was killed and both pilots ejected safely.
24 June 1988 (1988-06-24) A Hawk crashed whilst attempting to take off, and the fuel tanks exploded. The pilot ejected safely.
1988 (1988) Flt Lt Neil MacLachlan died practising a "roll back" at RAF Scampton.
17 October 1998 (1998-10-17) Flt Lt R. Edwards landed short of the runway after a practice run at the Red Arrows then home base, RAF Cranwell, and ejected safely at low altitude.
9 September 2003 (2003-09-09) A Hawk overshot the runway while landing at Jersey Airport in advance of an air display. The pilot ran the jet into a gravel pile and little damage was sustained.
2007 (2007) The wingtip of a Hawk hit the tail of another during a practice flight near RAF Scampton.
23 March 2010 (2010-03-23) Two Hawks were involved in a mid-air collision. The synchro pair were practising one of their manoeuvres when the two aircraft collided. One pilot landed his plane safely, but the other (Flt Lt Mike Ling) ejected and suffered a dislocated shoulder. The incident took place during pre-season training in Crete.
20 August 2011 (2011-08-20) A Hawk crashed near Bournemouth Airport following a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival. Flt Lt Jon Egging, pilot of Red 4, died in the accident. An investigation into the incident is currently under way.
8 November 2011 (2011-11-08) Pilot Flt Lt Sean Cunningham, was ejected from his aircraft while it was on the ground at RAF Scampton and subsequently died from his injuries. An investigation into the incident began shortly afterwards.

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