1969 losses

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

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