1970 losses

03/01/1970 XR997 25 Gnat T1 4 FTS Crashed at Ty Mawr shortly after take off from Valley, Anglesey killing both crew
14/01/1970 XT166 Y Soux AH1 3 Command Brigade/4 Wing The main rotors struck trees while landing on a small landing pad on Mount Ophir, Malaysia. The aircraft slid 130 feet down the side of the mountain but the pilot escaped with minor injuries
29/01/1970 XV167 H-236 Buccaneer S2 801 NAS At the final stages of launch from HMS Hermes the hold back broke thus releasing the aircraft before the catapult fired resulting in it accelerating under its own power towards the bow of the ship. The observer ejected while still on the deck and the pilot followed immediately afterwards as the nose wheel went over the side of the ship which was operating 45nm south east of Gibraltar. The same pilot had previously ejected from Buccaneer XV158 on 20th May 1968
03/02/1970 XA165   Sea Vampire T22 Brawdy Station Flight Declared a write off after distortion of the balsa structure was found. Allocated to 8148M with 1414 ATC Crowborough
09/02/1970 XS171 41 Hiller HT2 702 NAS Struck the ground during sloping ground landing practice at Culdrose, Cornwall and rolled onto its starboard side. To Fleetlands and declared a write off
11/02/1970 XP103 511 Wessex HAS3 706 NAS Ditched into Falmouth Bay, Cornwall six miles south of Dodman Point after a fire warning while on a SAR exercise. It rolled over and sank but the crew were rescued safely
05/03/1970 XS918 B Lightning F6 11 Sqn Crashed into the North Sea off Leuchars, Fife near the Isle of May after the pilot ejected following a fire. He died from exposure after becoming detached from his survival suit
07/03/1970 WE991   Prefect TX1 2 GC Written off in a heavy landing at Hemswell, Lincolnshire
16/03/1970 XP576 42 Jet Provost T4 3 FTS Crashed near Leeming, North Yorkshire after engine failure while in the circuit to land. The pilot ejected safely
17/03/1970 XN556 23 Jet Provost T3 1 FTS Stalled and crashed while on approach to Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire
19/03/1970 XE596 13 Hunter FR10 229 OCU/79 Sqn Crashed at Buren, near Paderborn, West Germany after engine failure
24/03/1970 XT816   Sioux AH1 2 Wing The pilot became disorientated shortly after a night take off from Netheravon, Wiltshire due to reduced visibility and fog build up. He descended and landed heavily while moving backwards
22/04/1970 XV316 F Sioux HT2 CFS Collided and crashed at Hinstock, Shropshire during a practice display by the Tomahawk Display Team. One pilot was seriously injured, the other was slightly injured
22/04/1970 XV310 H Sioux HT2 CFS
30/04/1970 XP566 81 Jet Porovost T4 RAFC Crashed at Sleaford during a night approach to Cranwell, Lincolnshire killing the pilot
05/1970 XN702 H-254 Sea Vixen FAW2 893 NAS Badly damaged during a deck landing accident on board HMS Hermes. Off loaded and transferred by lighter to Limassol Harbour, Cyprus then towed to Akrotiri during August where it was later broken up
01/05/1970 WJ632   Canberra TT18 A&AEE The pilot lost control of the aircraft at 4,000ft during an asymmetric assessment exercise. He used the incorrect recovery technique and it spun into Lyme Bay 3½ miles SE of Bridport, Dorset killing two of the three crew
03/05/1970 XV566 R-010 Phantom FG1 892 NAS While on loan to the A&AEE all radio and radar contact was lost. It had crashed into Lyme Bay, Dorset killing both crew
06/05/1970 XR433 R-044 Gannet AEW3 849 NAS Crashed on a night approach to Yeovilton, Somerset and burnt out killing both crew
07/05/1970 XP742 G Lightning F3 111 Sqn Crashed into the North Sea off Happisburgh, Norfolk following a reheat fire. The pilot ejected safely
13/05/1970 XT621   Scout AH1 665 Sqn The pilot became disorientated after the aircraft was engulfed in a sand cloud when landing at night in West Malaysia. It moved to the right, crashed onto its side and turned over injuring one of the three on board
26/05/1970 XR767 E Lightning F6 74 Sqn Flew into the Malacca Strait off Singapore at night killing the pilot
26/05/1970 XA304   Cadet TX3 1 GC Written off in a flying accident at Swanton Morley, Norfolk
27/05/1970 XR526 AH Wessex HC2 72 Sqn Broke its back in a heavy landing at Odiham, Hants. To 8147M at Odiham
04/06/1970 XP441   Argosy C1 114/267 Sqns Declared a write off after undershooting the runway at Benson, Oxfordshire
07/06/1970 XP355 A Whirlwind HAR10 CFS Written off at Ternhill, Shropshire
17/06/1970 WD355   Chipmunk T10 2 FTS Crashed at Rufforth, Yorkshire, during a low level roll. Allocated to 8099M with Yorkshire UAS
22/06/1970 XD183 F Whirlwind HAR10 110 Sqn Crash-landed at Dungun, Malaysia after engine failure. To the Malaysian AF for ground instruction
22/06/1970 XN469 25 Jet Provost T3 1 FTS Written off in a forced landing on the disused airfield at East Moor, Yorkshire after engine failure
26/06/1970 WZ861   Chipmunk T10 Glasgow UAS Force-landed and struck a wall three miles SE of Nairn, NE Scotland. Allocated to 8100M with Glasgow UAS
11/07/1970 XW264   Harrier T2 HSA Made a forced landing at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire after engine failure due to dirt in the fuel system. The undercarriage collapsed on touchdown and the aircraft skidded on to the runway and burst into flames. The pilot escaped with minor injuries. Remains to Dunsfold and later to Farnborough dump
13/07/1970 WK575   Chipmunk T10 Wyton Station Flt Stalled and crashed at Laxfield near Ipswich, Suffolk after the pilot attempted to loop from a very low altitude. The pilot was killed and the passenger was seriously injured. To Bury St. Edmunds ATC
27/07/1970 WH641 S Canberra B2 85 Sqn Spun into the ground during a practice asymmetric approach to Wattisham, Suffolk killing the two crew
27/07/1970 XS930 F Lightning F6 74 Sqn It was intended that the aircraft would take off from Tengah, Singapore and execute a maximum rate climb for the benefit of a photographer. The photographer, however was not positioned far enough along the runway for the Lightning to have attained sufficient speed. The pilot pulled up next to the photographer nonetheless but the aircraft stalled. The pilot ejected at too low an altitude and was killed. Two civilians were killed when the aircraft crashed
03/08/975 XT828   Sioux AH1 655 Sqn The tail struck the ground on landing at Korvach, West Germany. Control was lost causing the main rotors to strike the ground. As the crew evacuated the aircraft it caught fire and burnt out
12/08/1970 XT789 473 Wasp HAS1 829 NAS HMS Dido Flt During a night ground controlled approach to the ship it flew into rising ground on the Mull of Kintyre, Western Scotland. The wreckage was found by an RAF Shackleton from Ballykelly. One of the two crew were killed and the other injured. Recovered by Sea King XV656 and later transferred to the AIU at Lee-on-Solent and to ground instruction with the AES there
12/08/1970 XS893 G Lightning F6 74 Sqn Abandoned by the pilot and crashed into the sea off Tengah, Singapore after the undercarriage would not lower
13/08/1970 WT907   Cadet TX3 611 GS Crashed at Swanton Morley, Norfolk
26/08/1970 XN686   Sea Vixen FAW2 A&AEE Entered a spin after control was lost at 5,000ft during low speed engine handling tests. Both crew ejected and it crashed into open ground south of Sheperton Mallet, Somerset
31/08/1970 XT282 E-102 Buccaneer S2 800 NAS Crashed into the Moray Firth, nineteen miles off Lossiemouth, Morayshire after the crew ejected following hydraulic failure
04/09/1970 XT502   Sioux AH1 17th/21st Lancers Crashed at Aldergrove, Northern Ireland after inadvertent control movement while looking for a torch amongst the control pedals. The pilot was uninjured
04/09/1970 WF370   Varsity T1 6 FTS All damaged beyond repair in a hangar fire at Finningley, Yorkshire
04/09/1970 WF385 H Varsity T1 6 FTS
04/09/1970 WF423 F Varsity T1 6 FTS
08/09/1970 XS894 F Lightning F6 5 Sqn Ditched successfully into the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorks. Despite an extensive search the USAF exchange pilot was not found
15/09/1970 XJ561 VL-703 Sea Vixen FAW2 766 NAS Written off in a belly landing on a foam carpet at Yeovilton, Somerset. Allocated to the fire dump at Yeovilton
16/09/1970 XP806   Beaver AL1 13 Flt Crashed during take off from Sharjah, Oman after the tail hit bushes. Parts were used with XP815 (crashed 09/09/1962) in making a composite airframe, marked as XP822. To Arborfield and later to Middle Wallop gate
17/09/1970 XW297 59 Jet Provost T5 1 FTS Crashed at Kipling Coates, Yorks. The pilot ejected safely
19/09/1970 XM990   Lightning T4 226 OCU Suffered a control failure and crashed into woods near Plumstead, Norfolk during The Battle of Britain day at Coltishall. The crew ejected safely
22/09/1970 WT721 LM-694 Hunter GA11 764 NAS Crashed into a hillside near Blair Atholl, Perthshire killing the pilot
06/10/1970 XV796 J Harrier GR1 1 Sqn Crashed near Ouston, Northumberland after the pilot ejected following a flame out
06/10/1970 XT215   Sioux AH1 652 Sqn Although avoiding action was taken, the aircraft struck power cables while flying in a valley along the River Diemel, West Germany. The tail became entangled in the broken cables but the pilot was able to escape uninjured
16/10/1970 WG460   Chipmunk T10 Aberdeen UAS Hit a tree during a forced landing after the engine failed to pick up during an overshoot at Dyce Airport, Aberdeen. To 8116M
17/10/1970 XL109 F Whirlwind HAR10 28 Sqn Ditched near Sai Kong, Hong Kong after engine failure
27/10/1970 XN199   Cadet TX3 661 GS Spun into the ground near Kirknewton, Midlothian
12/11/1970 XT679 BU Wessex HC2 HOCF Collided and crashed at Odiham, Hampshire. The three crew of XR510 and two on XT679 were all killed. The pilot of XT679 had previously safely landed Sycamore XL822 on 06/05/1963 after partial engine failure
12/11/1970  XR510 BZ Wessex HC2 HOCF
13/11/1970 XP955 E-121 Sea Vixen FAW2 899 NAS Crashed into the Moray Firth, Eastern Scotland while operating off HMS Eagle
13/11/1970 XR994   Gnat T1 Red Arrows Suffered engine failure and crashed while on approach to Kemble, Gloucestershire. The pilot ejected safely
18/11/1970 XJ475   Sea Vixen FAW1 A&AEE The port wing unfolded while parked on the ramp at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire causing considerable damage. It was not repaired and was broken up for spares
20/11/1970 XL112   Whirlwind HAR10 202 Sqn Exploded in mid-air following loss of control in cloud. It crashed at Patrick Brompton, North Yorkshire killing four on board
21/11/1970 XM834 CU-570 Wessex HAS3 706 NAS During a tethered engine run at Culdrose, Cornwall the main rotor scissor head link failed. This caused the helicopter to oscillate badly causing the undercarriage to collapse. The pilot was knocked unconscious for approximately 4 minutes but, when he came round, he shut the engines down which prevented the flailing blades from striking the ground. Damage was deemed to be beyond economical repair
27/11/1970 XT544   Sioux AH1 15/19th Hussars The pilot overpitched while in a high hover at Collingbourne Kingston, Wiltshire. During the resultant heavy landing the aircraft disintegrated and caught fire
01/12/1970 XN951 LM-633 Buccaneer S1 736 NAS Crashed at Lossiemouth, Morayshire
07/12/1970 XT126   Sioux AH1 658 Sqn The tail rotor struck the ground during autorotation practice at Sharjah, Oman causing severe damage. It became airborne again, yawed to the left and crashed. Both crew escaped safely. It was rebuilt in 1972 for service with the Royal Marines
08/12/1970 XN968 LM-634 Bucaneer S1 736 NAS Crashed into woods five miles SSW of Lossiemouth, Morayshire while on approach to land
15/12/1970 XM267 E Canberra B(I)8 3 Sqn The aircraft suffered port engine failure half a mile from touchdown at Akrotiri, Cyprus. The pilot attempted an overshoot but the starboard engine spooled up faster than he could get enough rudder on to counter the yaw and roll. The port wing struck the ground and it cart wheeled then blew up. All three on board were killed

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