07/01/1969 | XH164 | F | Canberra PR9 | 13 Sqn | Rolled to port, crashed inverted and exploded 1˝ miles ENE of Luqa, Malta while on approach. The two crew were killed |
07/01/1969 | WF927 | Canberra PR3 | 231 OCU | The navigator ejected after the pilot lost control of the aircraft while over the North Sea. Control was regained and an emergency landing was made at Coltishall, Norfolk. The navigator was rescued by a 22 Squadron Whirlwind and was also taken to Coltishall. The aircraft was transferred back to its base at Bassingbourn for repairs but these were not completed and it was struck off charge and allocated to Cottesmore for Fire Training | |
09/01/1969 | XJ559 | VL-509 | Sea Vixen FAW2 | 766 NAS | Crashed into a marsh at Catsgrove near Illchester during a single engine approach to Yeovilton, Somerset. The remains were put on the fire dump at Yeovilton |
15/01/1969 | XV372 | Sea King HAS1 | Westlands | Force-landed near West Harptree on the Mendip Hills, Somerset following double engine failure due to ingestion of ice dislodged from the windscreen. The starboard sponson collapsed on touchdown, the main rotor struck the ground and the aircraft rolled over. The crew escaped safely. Allocated to ground instruction use | |
15/01/1969 | XF517 | V | Hunter FGA9 | 54 Sqn | Dived into the North Sea off Blakeney, Norfolk with the pilot slumped over the controls |
15/01/1969 | XL452 | BY-766 | Gannet AEW3 | 849 NAS | Ditched into the Irish Sea after take off from Brawdy, Pembrokeshire |
24/01/1969 | XM360 | 71 | Jet Provost T3 | CFS | Flew into Brown Clee Hill near Ludlow, Shropshire. Both crew were killed |
27/01/1969 | XV743 | Harrier GR1 | HSA | Following a vertical take off from Dunsfold, Surrey and whilst in an accelerating transition, lateral control was lost. The aircraft sideslipped and struck the ground with 90 degree of bank. The USAF pilot ejected horizontally and was killed. This was the final flight of a USAF evaluation | |
29/01/1969 | XT813 | X | Sioux AH1 | ARWF | Struck the ground tail first at Middle Wallop, Hants, bounced and caught fire after the pilot became disorientated during an autorotation. This was due to engine failure following a rise in cylinder head temperature |
30/01/1969 | XL585 | LM-689 | Hunter T8C | 764 NAS | Part of a rocket was ingested into the engine causing the engine to fail. The two crew safely ejected, the aircraft went onto crashed at Portsoy, Morayshire |
31/01/1969 | XV727 | Wessex HC2 | A&AEE | Flew into trees while in cloud 100ft below the summit of Mistberget an isolated 2,182ft high wooded hill in Norway during cold weather trials. Three of the four on board were injured | |
03/02/1969 | XF508 | D | Hunter FGA9 | 20 Sqn | Crashed near Pontain, Johore, Malaysia. The pilot had ejected due to a spurious fire warning |
13/02/1969 | WL350 | 844 | Meteor T7 | FRU | Control was lost during a low speed asymmetric flight and the aircraft spun into woods near Blandford Forum, Dorset. The crew were unable to jettison the canopy and were both killed |
13/02/1969 | XV346 | LM-656 | Buccaneer S2 | 736 NAS | Crashed into the Dornoch Firth, off Tarbat Ness, Ross & Cromarty |
03/03/1969 | XE680 | BY-784 | Hunter GA11 | 738 NAS | Crashed between Rhayader and Llanqurig, Central Wales during a low level recce killing the pilot |
03/03/1969 | XN980 | LM-652 | Buccaneer S2 | 736 NAS | Collided mid-air during a tail chase and crashed into the North Sea off Wick, Caithness. All four crew were rescued |
03/03/1969 | XV159 | LM-641 | Buccaneer S2 | 736 NAS | |
17/03/1969 | WT213 | H | Canberra B15 | 45 Sqn | Declared a write off at Tengah, Singapore. Reason not known |
18/03/1969 | XG453 | D | Belvedere HC1 | 66 Sqn | Written off when it caught fire during engine start at Seletar, Singapore |
18/03/1969 | XS519 | AW | Wessex HU5 | 848 NAS | Badly damaged when it was being towed by road, under police escort, from Sembawang, Borneo to the docks to be put on board HMS Albion. The port undercarriage struck a private car causing the helicopter to roll over. It was returned to the UK but was not repaired and was allocated to ground instruction at Lee-on-Solent |
24/03/1969 | XV180 | Hercules C1 | 30/47 Sqns | During climb out from Fairford, Gloucestershire the captain asked the co-pilot to feather No4 engine. However the engine went into full reverse thrust which rendered the aircraft uncontrollable. It entered a starboard wing over, crashed and caught fire. All six on board were killed | |
25/03/1969 | XH130 | A | Canberra PR9 | 13 Sqn | Stalled and crashed while on approach to Hal Far, Malta. Both crew were killed |
26/03/1969 | XR573 | 97 | Gnat T1 | CFS | While on loan to the Red Arrows the aircraft hit trees while attempting to rejoin the formation during a practice at Kemble, Gloucestershire. The pilot did not eject and was killed when the aircraft struck the ground |
31/03/1969 | WW661 | VL-728 | Hunter T8 | Yeovilton Station Flt | Crashed near Yeovilton, Somerset due to a compressor failure, both crew safely ejected |
02/04/1969 | XJ673 | XX | Hunter FGA9 | 20 Sqn | Crashed into the South China Sea off Manila, Philippines. The pilot had ejected following engine failure and loss of hydraulics while on approach to Clark Field |
03/04/1969 | XT204 | O | Sioux AH1 | ARWF | Spun into the ground from 500 ft at Middle Wallop, Hants following tail rotor shaft bearing failure. Both crew were injured |
08/04/1969 | XT826 | Sioux AH1 | 14/20th Hussars | Suffered an engine failure while flying in a valley at Paderborn, West Germany. The aircraft was damaged in the subsequent heavy landing on the side of the valley It was rebuilt and sold to the Uganda Police as 5X-PAW | |
01/05/1969 | WZ766 | Grasshopper TX1 | Air Cadets | Written off, no further details | |
08/05/1969 | XR387 | Alouette AH2 | 24 Flt | Control was lost immediately after take off from Herford, West Germany due to the cyclic control rods having been cross connected. The main rotors struck the ground and the aircraft cart wheeled. The pilot escaped without injury | |
13/05/1969 | XP332 | B | Whirlwind HAR10 | 28 Sqn | Crashed into the sea off Lan-Tau Island, Hong Kong after engine failure |
14/05/1969 | XR640 | Scout AH1 | 6 Flt | The Scout initiated a towering climb take off from a sports field at Chattendon Barracks, Rochester, Kent for a display without checking above or behind him. It collided with the Sioux which was on approach to the field. Both aircraft crashed and caught fire. The pilot of the Scout and pilot and passenger of the Sioux were killed | |
14/05/1969 | XT802 | Sioux AH1 | 3 RTR | ||
17/05/1969 | XT774 | AF | Wessex HU5 | 845 NAS | While operating off Dhekelia, Cyprus it lost power on lift off from HMS Bulwark after dropping off an underslung trailer and crashed onto its port side onto the deck. The rotor head and transmission detached and went over the side with flying debris from the shattered rotor blades killing one of the flight deck crew and injuring others that were two decks below |
21/05/1969 | XE616 | P | Hunter FGA9 | 1 Sqn | Dived into the North Sea off Wells, Norfolk during a low level combat exercise killing the pilot |
28/05/1969 | XD214 | 830 | Scimitar F1 | FRU | Damaged when the nose wheel collapsed on landing at Yeovilton, Somerset which started a fire. Later declared a write off and was scrapped at Fleetlands |
29/05/1969 | WJ822 | Canberra PR7 | 81 Sqn | The starboard engine flamed out on take off from Tengah, Singapore. The pilot abandoned take off but the engine relit. It then left the runway causing the undercarriage to collapse | |
02/06/1969 | XN194 | Cadet TX3 | 631 GS | Written off in a flying accident at Sealand, Cheshire | |
04/06/1969 | XW174 | Harrier T2 | HSA | Crashed at Larkhill, Wiltshire four miles north of Boscombe Down after dirt in the fuel system caused engine failure at 3,000ft. The pilot ejected at 100ft after being unable to make a safe forced land | |
06/06/1969 | XS584 | H-244 | Sea Vixen FAW2 | 893 NAS | Aircraft flew into the Bristol Channel at night off Hartland Point, Devon killing both crew |
07/06/1969 | XP396 | S | Whirlwind HAR10 | 230 Sqn | Crash-landed following tail rotor failure and burst into flames near Fleckney, Leicestershire |
07/06/1969 | XN196 | Cadet TX3 | 615 GS | Crashed while on approach to Kenley, South London after a wing tip hit a tree | |
13/06/1969 | XP501 | 96 | Gnat T1 | CFS | Undershot the runway on landing at Fairford, Gloucestershire after hydraulic failure |
13/06/1969 | XR952 | 31 | Gnat T1 | 4 FTS | Crashed near Conway, North Wales when the pilot ejected after failing to recover from a spin |
14/06/1969 | WZ850 | A | Chipmunk T10 | London UAS | Written off when it swung off the runway on take off from White Waltham, Berkshire and struck some marker boards |
20/06/1969 | XL868 | 57 | Whirlwind HAS7 | 705 NAS | Made a forced landing at Morvah, St Ives, Cornwall after the engine failed due to loss of oil after a cap had not
been fitted correctly. The starboard wheel fell into a disused mine shaft and the helicopter rolled onto its starboard side. The two crew escaped unhurt. To ground instruction at Arbroath as A2595 |
26/06/1969 | XE610 | C | Hunter FGA9 | 20 Sqn | Crashed into the South China Sea |
09/07/1969 | XV395 | 470 | Phantom FGR2 | 228 OCU | Crashed near Horncastle, Lincs while on approach to Coningsby after the crew ejected due to stiffening of the controls caused by loss of hydraulic pressure. The code was one carried at the Paris air show |
15/07/1969 | WH956 | Canberra B15 | 45 Sqn | Damaged beyond repair in the Far East | |
23/07/1969 | WG488 | B | Chipmunk T10 | 4 AEF | Spun into the ground at Braunton, Devon. (Aircraft was on loan to 229 OCU at the time accident) |
23/07/1969 | XN630 | 25 | Jet Provost T3 | RAFC | Damaged beyond repair when it sank back after take off from Biggin Hill, Kent when the undercarriage was raised too early. It belly landed and skidded off the runway. Wreck to 71MU at Bicester |
26/07/1969 | XN259 | PO-518 | Whirlwind HAS7 | 771 NAS | Suffered engine problems while in a hover at Culdrose, Cornwall and was damaged in the subsequent emergency landing. The three crew were unhurt. Allocated to ground instruction at Arbroath as A2604 and ended its days on the fire dump at London City airport |
28/07/1969 | XJ685 | R | Hunter FGA9 | 20 Sqn | Badly damaged in the Far East. Rebuilt as a Mk74 and sold to Singapore as 502 on 12th Nov 1970 |
14/08/1969 | XT825 | Sioux AH1 | 14/20th Hussars | Struck the ground after the main rotors struck trees during a low speed manoeuvre on the Sennelager Range, West Germany. The three occupants escaped | |
15/08/1969 | XG204 | 70 | Hunter F6 | 4 FTS | Crashed at Rhosneigr after take off from Valley, Anglesey. The Lebanese pilot was killed |
21/08/1969 | WJ895 | Varsity T1 | 5 FTS | WJ895 landed back at Oakington, Cambs after colliding with the Cessna 150, but was found to be damaged beyond repair, the Cessna also landed safely | |
21/08/1969 | G-ATKF | Cessna 150 | Private | ||
25/08/1969 | XT509 | Sioux AH1 | ARWF 'Blue Eagles' | Four aircraft were in a flat diamond formation during a display at Christchurch, Dorset. The rotors of XT509 and XW191 touched causing XT509 to lose a rotor. It plunged into the ground and caught fire killing the pilot. XW191 landed heavily and caught fire. The pilot received minor injuries | |
25/08/1969 | XW191 | Sioux AH1 | ARWF 'Blue Eagles' | ||
28/08/1969 | XT142 | Sioux AH1 | HQ Development Flt | Made a heavy landing and burst into flames at Clatford, Andover, Hampshire after loss of power at 50 ft. The pilot escaped unhurt | |
02/09/1969 | XL881 | PO-511 | Whirlwind HAS7 | 771 NAS | Attempted to land on a beach near Portland, Dorset after loss of power but the engine failed. It ditched into 30ft
of water ˝ mile north of Blackmorr Point and nosed over onto its back. The two crew were rescued by the Portland
SAR helicopter. It was recovered but was found to be damaged beyond repair and was allocated to ground instruction at Seafield Park |
04/09/1969 | XN576 | 79 | Jet Provost T3 | CFS | Crashed at Northleach, Gloucs following engine failure. The crew ejected safely |
04/09/1969 | XT246 | Sioux AH1 | 1st RHA Air Troop | The pilot became disorientated in hill fog while attempting a precautionary landing at Gayton, Aden due to bad weather. The aircraft struck the ground and caught fire. The crew were uninjured | |
09/09/1969 | XM918 | PO-526 | Wessex HAS3 | 737 NAS | Suffered an engine failure then ditched and sank into the English Channel eleven miles off Portland, Dorset. The crew were rescued by an accompanying Wessex |
09/09/1969 | XS126 | E-142 | Wessex HAS1 | 826 NAS | Ditched into the sea off the Pembrokeshire coast and sank whilst operating off HMS Eagle after engine failure caused by ingestion of a seagull |
16/09/1969 | XV164 | H-235 | Buccaneer S2 | 801 NAS | Crashed at Beinn Ruadh five miles South of Strathy Point, Sutherland |
22/09/1969 | XS926 | B | Lightning F6 | 5 Sqn | Spiral dived into the North Sea sixty miles off Flamborough Head, Yorks after the USAF exchange pilot ejected following loss of control |
30/09/1969 | XN575 | 6 | Jet Provost T3 | 3 FTS | Stalled on take off from Leeming, Yorkshire. A wing struck the ground causing the aircraft to cartwheel. The pilot ejected but was killed |
07/10/1969 | WW186 | Sea Venom FAW22 | Yeovilton Station Flt | Written off after it landed at Yeovilton, Somerset with the nose and starboard wheels up | |
15/10/1969 | XP491 | Grasshopper TX1 | Air Cadets | Written off, no further details | |
23/10/1969 | XP224 | H-263 | Gannet AEW3 | 849 NAS | Struck Gannet XL474 then ran over the side of HMS Hermes during overshoots at night, after the engine failed to respond. The crew were rescued |
30/10/1969 | XR477 | F | Whirlwind HAR10 | 28 Sqn | Lost the main rotor after hitting power cables and crashed near Hok Tau village, FanLing, Hong Kong. Both crew killed |
31/10/1969 | WW664 | LM669 | Hunter T8B | 764 NAS | Suffered an engine fire when the High Pressure turbine disc failed on take-off from Lossiemouth, Morayshire |
05/11/1969 | XS163 | 549 | Hiller HT2 | 705 NAS | Received further damage when it fell off the recovery vehicle and blocked the Lizard to Helston road at the Red Triangle petrol station. The previous day it had landed heavily at Predannack during an engine off landing and the main rotor had struck the tail rotor drive shaft. To Fleetlands for repair but declared a write off after inspection |
13/11/1969 | XF297 | BY-738 | Hunter GA11 | 738 NAS | Jumped the wheel chocks during full power engine checks at Brawdy, Pembrokeshire and ran into the 738 NAS office block. The pilot was seriously injured. After being extricated it was struck off charge and stripped for spares |
24/11/1969 | XT845 | Sioux AH1 | 13/18th Hussars | The engine cut during a practice engine failure while at 500 ft. A forced landing was made at Nienberge, West Germany but the aircraft toppled forward and turned over after the skids dug into the ground. The pilot received minor injuries | |
25/11/1969 | XP153 | E-143 | Wessex HAS3 | 826 NAS | Ditched into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal while operating off HMS Eagle. It was flying away from RFA Olmeda and was at 100ft when it suffered engine failure. After floating for 15 minutes, it rolled over and sank |
25/11/1969 | XT210 | Sioux AH1 | 4 Wing Guards Brigade | The fuel warning light came on during circuits of a landing site at Kluang, Malaysia. The aircraft then lost power and caught fire in the resultant forced landing. The pilot escaped safely. Caused by a loose fuel pipe connection | |
26/11/1969 | XP343 | R | Whirlwind HAR10 | CFS | The main rotors struck the 22 Sqn building during take off from Valley, Anglesey. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed after the tail rotor struck the ground and broke off |
29/11/1969 | XF436 | W | Hunter FR10 | 8 Sqn | Written off in separate landing accidents at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rebuilt, XF436 to the Swiss Air Force as J4115 |
29/11/1969 | XF460 | X | Hunter FR10 | 8 Sqn | Written off in separate landing accidents at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rebuilt, XF460 to Singapore as 546 |
09/12/1969 | XV637 | LD-447 | Wasp HAS1 | 829 NAS HMS Londonderry Flt | Ditched and sank in the English Channel twenty miles south east of Portland Bill, Dorset after engine compressor guide vane failure while operating off HMS Undaunted. The crew were rescued and the helicopter was recovered. Allocated to ground instruction at Lee-on-Solent |
16/12/1969 | XR992 | Gnat T1 | Red Arrows | During a formation practice from Kemble and when over Cirencester, Glouc’s a fire warning was given to XR995. The pilot of XR992 thought that the warning referred to him, and both pilots ejected. The fire on XR995 was due to a compressor failure | |
16/12/1969 | XR995 | Gnat T1 | Red Arrows | ||
16/12/1969 | XV125 | Scout AH1 | 651 Sqn | Suffered tail rotor blade failure during a test flight and struck the ground heavily at Verden, West Germany in the subsequent forced landing. The three occupants escaped safely | |
17/12/1969 | XM666 | ED-448 | Whirlwind HAR9 | 829 NAS | While operating from HMS Endurance it ran out of fuel after carrying external loads between Port Salvador, East Falklands and Foam Creek for two hours. It ditched and the floatation gear was deployed but it rolled to port. The four crew swam 80 yards to shore. After 12 hours floating inverted it beached at Sheila Creek, Port Salvador. The hulk remained at Salvador House during the Argentine invasion in 1982 |