05/01/1972 |
XW539 |
|
Buccaneer
S2B |
12
Sqn |
Flew
into the Irish Sea off the Isle of Man killing both crew |
06/01/1972 |
XP104 |
BL-410 |
Wessex
HAS3 |
820
NAS |
Suffered an engine fire while en route to HMS Blake. and ditched into Valetta Harbour, Malta. It remained afloat but, while under tow, it turned over and sank off Delimara Point |
10/01/1972 |
XT876 |
VL-160 |
Phantom
FG1 |
767
NAS |
Crashed
into the Atlantic Ocean off Trevose Head, Cornwall. The crew ejected |
12/01/1972 |
XW918 |
|
Harrier
GR1 |
4
Sqn |
Failed
to recover from a dive out of cloud during a demonstration for the Swiss
Air Force at Wildenrath and crashed at Tuschenbroich, West Germany. The
pilot ejected but his seat struck the side of a building and he was killed |
13/01/1972 |
XV645 |
PO-529 |
Sea
King HAS1 |
737
NAS |
The No2 engine ran down while in the hover 22 miles south of Portland Bill, Dorset. It ditched
and the crew escaped before it sank. Recovered and delivered to the AIU at
Lee-on-Solent |
20/01/1972 |
XS534 |
432 |
Wasp
HAS1 |
829
NAS HMS Scylla Flt |
The engine exploded on take off from HMS Scylla. It ditched into the South Atlantic
Ocean alongside the ship north of Ascension Island and sank. The crew were rescued but the
helicopter was not recovered |
20/01/1972 |
XV628 |
464 |
Wasp
HAS1 |
829
NAS HMS Danae Flt |
Suffered tail rotor drive shaft failure and crashed into a coconut plantation 1½
miles north east of RAF Tengah, Singapore. The two crew were injured |
03/02/1972 |
XT106 |
R |
Sioux
AH1 |
3
CBAS |
Hit
trees and crashed at Woodhouse Eaves, near Loughborough Leicestershire
after the pilot became disorientated in fog on high ground. Both crew were
killed |
09/02/1972 |
WB552 |
|
Chipmunk
T10 |
Halton
Station Flt |
Crashed
near Boarstall, Bucks after loss of control in a spin. The pilot was
killed and the passenger was seriously injured |
14/02/1972 |
XT913 |
|
Phantom
FGR2 |
228
OCU |
Crashed
into the North Sea one mile north of Happisburgh, Norfolk after an
hydraulic failure. The crew ejected |
15/02/1972 |
XT269 |
R-031 |
Buccaneer
S2 |
809
NAS |
The handler positioned the aircraft on the aft deck aft of HMS Ark Royal in preparation for the morning’s flying in the North Atlantic. The tractor towing arm was released before it was braked and chained and a sudden swell took the aircraft over the side. It sank in deep water and was not recovered. Because of this Buccaneer S1 XN954 was deliberately pushed over the side of Ark Royal on 14th April 1974 to re-stage the incident |
16/02/1972 |
XP698 |
B |
Lightning
F3 |
29
Sqn |
Collided
during night exercises and crashed into the North Sea 40 miles east of
Ipswich, Suffolk. The pilot of XP698 was killed but the other pilot
ejected safely |
16/02/1972 |
XP747 |
S |
Lightning
F3 |
29
Sqn |
16/02/1972 |
XS121 |
PO-435 |
Wessex
HAS3 |
737
NAS |
Suffered an engine failure whilst in the hover at 200ft and ten miles off Portland Bill, Dorset. It rolled over and sank but all of the crew were rescued |
14/03/1972 |
XR948 |
48 |
Gnat
T1 |
4
FTS |
Crashed
near Llanbedr, Merioneth after engine failure. The pilot ejected safely |
16/03/1972 |
XT208 |
|
Sioux
AH1 |
656
Sqn |
The
cabin door opened while flying low over Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong. The pilot
became distracted when he tried to close it and the aircraft struck the
water. He was rescued safely |
21/03/1972 |
XV802 |
XX |
Harrier
GR1 |
20
Sqn |
Crashed
at Stadtoldendorf south of Hanover, West Germany. The pilot was killed |
08/04/1972 |
XS609 |
|
Andover
C1 |
46
Sqn |
Suffered
an engine failure during take off from Siena, Italy. A wing hit the ground
causing the aircraft to cartwheel killing four on board |
10/04/1972 |
XV662 |
E-140 |
Sea
King HAS1 |
826
NAS |
Severe vibration occurred whilst sonar dunking in the English Channel seven miles south of the Lizard, Cornwall. It ditched and rolled over in the heavy swell then sank but not before the crew escaped safely. Recovered and allocated to Portland for ground instruction |
26/04/1972 |
XM667 |
56 |
Whirlwind
HAS7 |
705
NAS |
The engine began to misfire whilst climbing out of Culdrose, Cornwall and force landed into a field north of the
airfield. Airlifted back to Culdrose beneath Sea King XV661. Allocated to Lee-on-Solent AES as A2629 but ended its
days at Predannack Fire School |
26/04/1972 |
XV749 |
K |
Harrier
GR1 |
1
Sqn |
Crashed
into the North Sea one mile off Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire after a bird
strike. The pilot ejected |
01/05/1972 |
XV777 |
W |
Harrier
GR1 |
1
Sqn |
Crashed
at Wittering, Cambs during transition from hover to forward flight. The
pilot ejected |
04/05/1972 |
XV794 |
K |
Harrier
GR1 |
4
Sqn |
Suffered
a bird strike. The pilot ejected but the aircraft flew on for 40 minutes
before eventually crashing at Hutten, West Germany |
08/05/1972 |
XP302 |
|
Whirlwind
HAR10 |
84
Sqn |
Badly
damaged in Cyprus. Returned to the UK, and allocated to 8443M at Manston |
11/05/1972 |
XP340 |
C |
Whirlwind
HAR10 |
28
Sqn |
All
were blown over during strong winds during the night at Kai Tak, Hong
Kong. There had been no room in the hangar for them as the unit was
converting to the Wessex at the time. XP340 was allocated to Manston dump,
XP363 to 8228M and XR455 to 8219M both with 1 SoTT at Halton |
11/05/1972 |
XP363 |
D |
Whirlwind
HAR10 |
28
Sqn |
11/05/1972 |
XR455 |
J |
Whirlwind
HAR10 |
28
Sqn |
08/06/1972 |
XN245 |
|
Cadet
TX3 |
618
GS |
Written
off in a flying accident at West Malling, Kent |
13/06/1972 |
XV162 |
|
Buccaneer
S2B |
12
Sqn |
Flew
into the North Sea off Bridlington, Yorkshire in bad visibility. Both crew
were killed |
20/06/1972 |
XW920 |
|
Harrier
GR1A |
3
Sqn |
Crashed
at Decimomannu, Sardinia after fuel failure. The pilot ejected |
26/06/1972 |
XR444 |
|
Sea
Heron C1 |
781
NAS |
Ditched
into the Irish Sea after all four engines failed due to fuel
mismanagement. All occupants were rescued safely. Allocated to Melton
Mowbray for ground instruction |
26/06/1972 |
WJ610 |
T |
Canberra
T19 |
100
Sqn |
Dived
into the ground in flames two miles SSW of West Raynham, Norfolk shortly
after take off. Both crew were killed |
27/06/1972 |
XV780 |
B |
Harrier
GR1A |
4
Sqn |
Crashed
at Wessel, West Germany after a bird strike. The pilot ejected |
29/06/1972 |
XL474 |
LM-762 |
Gannet
AEW3 |
849
NAS |
Stalled
and crashed on approach to Yeovilton, Somerset during a demonstration
flight after suffering a flap failure |
06/07/1972 |
XT114 |
|
Sioux
AH1 |
663
Sqn |
Crashed
and burnt out on the Otterburn Ranges, Northumberland, during exercise
'Sky Warrior'. The rotors struck high ground after the pilot was
distracted. He escaped without injury |
07/07/1972 |
XP700 |
K |
Lightning
F3 |
29
Sqn |
During
take off from Wattisham, Suffolk the tail bumper and ventral tank struck
the runway. The pilot attempted an emergency landing but an engine fire
forced him to eject. The aircraft crashed at Great Waldingfield near
Sudbury |
10/08/1972 |
XF384 |
72 |
Hunter
F6 |
4
FTS |
Collided at 200 feet over Rhoscolyn, Anglesey. XF384 crashed onto the Silver Bay Holiday Camp striking several caravans and killing a woman and her dog (named Jet). XF387 crashed into a field adjacent to the holiday park killing the pilot |
10/08/1972 |
XF387 |
77 |
Hunter
F6 |
4
FTS |
11/08/1972 |
XW560 |
|
Jaguar
S |
A&AEE |
The
port engine exploded during the run up for take off from Boscombe Down,
Wiltshire due to disintegration of the 3rd stage disc on the high pressure
compressor. The pilot evacuated the aircraft which was soon engulfed in
flames after a fuel pipe was severed by the explosion. To ground
instruction at Lossiemouth |
28/08/1972 |
XT454 |
AL |
Wessex
HU5 |
845
NAS |
Flew into power lines at Bicton Wood, Callington, Cornwall and crashed into a dense copse. The crew managed to escape safely |
30/08/1972 |
XS161 |
51 |
Hiller
HT2 |
705
NAS |
Crashed on Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall and broke up after failing to recover from a
practice autorotation |
06/09/1972 |
XS455 |
T |
Lightning
T5 |
5
Sqn |
Crashed
into the North Sea off Spurn Head, Humberside. The pilot and the Belgian
Air Force lieutenant passenger had ejected following hydraulic failure |
07/09/1972 |
WR967 |
|
Shackleton
MR2 |
8
Sqn |
Badly
damaged in a heavy landing at Lossiemouth, Morayshire. Allocated to 8398M
at Lossiemouth |
12/09/1972 |
XV799 |
99 |
Harrier
GR1 |
233
OCU |
Crashed
into a hill on the Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland after loss of control in low
cloud. The pilot was killed |
12/09/1972 |
XV194 |
|
Hercules
C1 |
LTW |
Veered
of the runway on landing at Tromso, Norway and was damaged beyond repair.
To Marshalls, Cambridge for spares recovery |
12/09/1972 |
XW356 |
8 |
Jet
Provost T5 |
RAFC |
Crashed
onto the main railway line at Tupton near Chesterfield, Derbyshire after
loss off control. The pilot ejected safely |
27/09/1972 |
XS490 |
AG |
Wessex
HU5 |
845
NAS |
Ditched alongside HMS Albion off Norway after take off. It had swung to starboard and the tail struck Wessex XS485. Both crew and ten Royal Marines were rescued |
06/10/1972 |
XV339 |
|
Buccaneer
S2A |
RNAY
Belfast |
Crashed
into a factory in
Orby Road,
Castlereagh, Belfast, Northern Ireland during a test flight from
Sydenham. Both crew ejected safely |
06/10/1972 |
XH172 |
|
Canberra
PR9 |
13
Sqn |
The
aircraft was part of a formation flypast to mark the end of a detachment
to Akrotiri, Cyprus. It turned to fly over the airfield but pitched down
and crashed into the Mediterranean
Sea three miles east of the base killing the three crew. It is considered
that it flew through the wake of another aircraft and stalled |
27/10/1972 |
XK823 |
|
Grasshopper
TX1 |
Air
Cadets |
Written
off, no further details |
01/11/1972 |
WV381 |
VL-732 |
Hunter
GA11 |
ADS |
Failed
to become airborne on take off from Lee-On-Solent, Hants. It crashed
through the perimeter fence and ran into the sea. Allocated to Culham
Laboratory, Oxon |
17/11/1972 |
XK142 |
522 |
Hunter
FGA9 |
229
OCU/SWF |
Crashed
into the English Channel off Lundy Island. The pilot ejected and was
rescued |
21/11/1972 |
XV477 |
C |
Phantom
FGR2 |
6
Sqn |
Encountered
cloud en-route and during the attempt to climb clear the aircraft struck
Scarrowmanwick Fell 1,800ft above sea level, nine miles east of
Penrith, Cumbria. The crew did not attempt to eject and were both
killed |
21/11/1972 |
XX469 |
|
Lynx
HAS2 |
WHL |
The
Naval tail shaft break joint disconnected causing loss of tail rotor
thrust. It descended, yawing and struck the ground at Yeovil, Somerset and
rolled onto its port side. The pilot and other occupant were both badly injured. This was the
first version of the Lynx with a folding tail. Allocated to Westlands as
A2657 |
13/12/1972 |
XP349 |
|
Whirlwind
HAR10 |
22
Sqn |
Ditched
into the Irish Sea off Holyhead, Anglesey after engine failure. Allocated
to Valley fire dump |
14/12/1972 |
XM974 |
974 |
Lightning
T4 |
226
OCU |
Crashed
into the North Sea off Happisburgh, Norfolk after a reheat fire. The crew
ejected |