Royal Air Force Hawk Crash Near RAF Valley, Two Parachutes Seen

Royal Air Force Hawk Crash Near RAF Valley, Two Parachutes Seen

Diego Alvarez
RAF Hawk T2 Crash

A Royal Air Force Hawk T2 has crashed near RAF Valley in North Wales. Two parachutes could be seen descending to the ground as the stricken jet fell out of the sky.

An emergency response was quickly triggered after the training jet impacted a field near its base on the island of Anglesey in Wales. Air ambulance and coastguard search and rescue aircraft were activated (as per standard procedure), though it is unclear how the two crew members were recovered. One of RAF Valley’s own helicopters, an Airbus H145 Jupiter HT1 – used for search and rescue training – was also seen active shortly after the incident.

Images taken at the scene clearly show both members of crew descending under orange parachutes having ejected from the aircraft. Video footage has also shown the aircraft tumbling towards the ground, as well as the ejection itself. 

Eyewitness reports say the incident happened shortly after takeoff, with Pete Bennett telling North Wales Live: “I watched it take off, like we have watched of planes take off before. I knew straight away that it was in trouble, right on take off there was an orange flame and as it accelerated it was basically on fire.”

“As it gained altitude the flame disappeared but it was clearly in trouble. It climbed at an aggressive pitch – like the pilot of trying to gain altitude. It pitched twice violently in the air and then there were two clear loud bangs. It was probably at around 800ft at this point.”

“The pilots ejected and both parachutes opened. The plane rolled to starboard and then slowly descended and crashed maybe a mile, hopefully in a field. There was a huge wall of fire and black smoke. The aircrew came down around half way between the runway and where the plane crashed, which I’m guessing was around a mile inland from RAF Valley.”

The Royal Air Force ordered a fleet of 28 Hawk T2s to replace its Hawk T1 aircraft for advanced pilot training. This fleet, now down to 27 following this incident, is due to be replaced ahead of schedule by a new aircraft type following widespread availability issues with the aircraft. As we have reported previously:

Originally scheduled to retire in 2040, the Hawk T2 has been plagued by availability issues stemming from engine reliability. Knighton said the air force only gets “half of what we should get” from the aircraft. Additionally, the RAF’s remaining fleet of Hawk T1 aircraft, which serve exclusively with the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, or the Red Arrows, are due to be withdrawn in 2030.

Any indications as to the cause of the incident have yet to be established. 

The jet came down in a field, near to a parked caravan. No injuries have been reported on the ground.

UPDATE: Sep. 23, 2000 UTC 

Footage has now emerged of the stricken jet’s departure from RAF Valley, showing fluid appearing to come from the upper section of the Hawk’s mid fuselage, which is then occasionally ignited producing a bright orange flame. The location of the leak is roughly approximate to where the Hawk aircraft’s gas turbine starter (GTS) engine is located.

This is a developing news story and may be updated if and when new information becomes available.

Aviation