1978 losses

23/01/1978 XW426 60 Jet Provost T5A 2 FTS Crashed at Riggs Farm, Dalby Forest, North Yorks following loss of control in a dive. The crew ejected but one was killed
30/01/1978 XW205 CB Puma HC1 33 Sqn Crashed near Voss, Norway during exercise 'Arctic Express'. The starboard cabin door came off and struck the tail rotor. The aircraft began to break up and landed vertically onto a wooded hillside killing three crew
07/02/1978 XR541 61 Gnat T1 CFS Ran into the barrier at Mona, Anglesey causing the nose wheel to collapse. Allocated to St. Athan as 8602M
17/02/1978 XX404   Gazelle AH1 658 Sqn Crashed at Jonesborough, Armagh, Northern Ireland after the pilot lost control during a turn when flying at high speed to avoid small arms fire. It struck a wall and came to rest in a field on its right side killing one of the the two passengers. The pilot was trapped underneath the helicopter but survived due to his helmet taking the weight of the helicopter
03/03/1978 XR981   Gnat T1 Red Arrows Crashed during practice aerobatics at Kemble, Gloucestershire. Both crew were killed
05/03/1978 WZ875   Chipmunk T10 12 AEF Crashed four miles north of Dunfermline, Fife during unauthorised low flying and aerobatics over a Loch. The pilot was killed
21/03/1978 XX971 DE Jaguar GR1 31 Sqn No2 engine failed on take off from Lahr, West German. The pilot jettisoned the external stores and attempted an emergency landing on one engine. He allowed speed and height to decay and ejected when he considered that he would not reach the airfield
10/04/1978 XV132   Scout AH1 658 Sqn Crashed into Lough Neagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland after flying into a snow storm. Both crew were killed
26/04/1978 XR544 60 Gnat T1 4 FTS The crew ejected on approach to Valley, Anglesey after engine failure caused by fuel pump failure. It crashed onto a beach on the edge of the airfield
27/04/1978 XX149 N Jaguar T2 226 OCU Emerged from cloud in a steep inverted dive and crashed into a mountain at Cullen, Banff. The crew initiated ejection moments before the aircraft crashed but they were both killed
12/05/1978 XP904   Scout AH1 654 Sqn Crashed into trees at Lemgo near Lippstadt, West Germany in a near vertical descent with virtually no rotor speed. It struck the ground and caught fire killing the two crew. Possibly caused by inadvertent closure of the fuel cock in mistake for the heater control
12/05/1978 XT868 R-000 Phantom FG1 892 NAS During a practice display at Leuchars, Fife for the last Naval flight of the Phantom the aircraft flew low downwind along the runway axis and then entered a tight right hand turn through 180º to fly back along the runway. With a high sink rate it just missed the QRA sheds and the pilot ejected horizontally as the right wing struck the ground and was seriously injured. The observer attempted to eject moments later but was killed
12/05/1978 XX410 CU-58 Gazelle HT2 705 NAS Control was lost at 300ft after a fenestron (tail rotor) stall during a wingover manoeuvre at Predannack, Cornwall. The Fenestron, a shaft driven 13 blade fan, replaces the conventional tail rotor. The aircraft spun several times and struck the ground at an estimated 16G. The trainee pilot broke his hand and the Australian Instructor hurt his back lifting the wreckage off the trainee
24/05/1978 XF991 VL-874 Hunter T8C FRADU Crashed at Martock, Somerset after the engine exploded on take off from Yeovilton. The pilot ejected safely
25/05/1978 XH176   Canberra PR9 A&AEE Crashed at Chilmark, Wilts after the pilot abandoned the aircraft after it entered a spin following loss of control during an asymmetric trial. It was on a flight to discover the reason for the loss of XH137 on 03/05/1977 which also crashed out of control
28/05/1978 XV273   Beaver AL1 BATUS The aircraft failed to climb during a down hill take off with a tail wind from Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada. It bounced off the ground several times before striking tress and coming to rest in a marsh. Two of the five on board were injured
06/1978 XN982 R-032 Buccaneer S2A 809 NAS The nosewheel was sliced off at Cecil Field NAS, Florida, USA by a tractor after the maintainer driving it had lost control. The tractor was wedged underneath the Buccaneer and the driver sustained serious injuries and died in hospital. To the UK for rebuild but not completed and allocated to ground instruction at Brough
01/06/1978 XN598 31 Jet Provost T3A 1 FTS The wing struck the water on Gouthwaite Reservoir, Patley Bridge, Yorkshire during a turn. The aircraft cartwheeled and broke up killing the pilot
06/06/1978 XX761 11 Jaguar GR1 226 OCU Destroyed in a ground fire during engine runs at Lossiemouth, Grampian. Nose to 8600M
14/06/1978 XN975   Buccaneer S2A RAE Bedford Crashed at Oelde, near to Bruggen, West Germany after entering a spin at low level following avoiding action to miss a German autobahn surveillance helicopter. The crew ejected safely
19/06/1978 WJ753 L Canberra B2 100 Sqn During an overshoot at Marham, Norfolk the pilot allowed the engine rpm to drop below the recommended rpm levels. The engines spooled up unevenly during the subsequent throttle up causing a severe asymmetric condition resulting in near vertical bank with the port wingtip striking the ground to the left of the runway. During the ensuing cartwheel, the cockpit section was removed from the fuselage, breaking between the pilot and navigator's seats. The pilot suffered serious leg injuries when his ejection seat fired sideways when on the ground. The occupant of the Rhumbold (fold down seat next to the pilot) was badly injured. Miraculously, of the two rear crew one broke an ankle and the other walked away unscathed
29/06/1978 XW414 67 Jet Provost T5A CFS/3 FTS The pilot ejected after the engine failed on final approach to Dishforth, Yorkshire
05/07/1978 XT285   Buccaneer S2 BAe Warton The pilot executed too tight a turn during a dummy attack on Luce Bay range off West Freugh, Dumfries. The aircraft stalled, pitched up, dropped a wing and crashed. The pilot remained with the aircraft and was killed. The navigator ejected but was also killed
18/07/1978 XP105 DV-403 Wessex HAS3 737 NAS Ditched into the English Channel off the Isle of Wight after the rotor blades struck a lifeboat davit (hoist) on the side of HMS Devonshire during the ships farewell voyage. Allocated to A2698 at Lee On Solent
24/07/1978 XV483 Y Phantom FGR2 92 Sqn Flew into the ground near Drenke, east of Paderborn, West Germany during a practice intercept. Both crew were killed
25/07/1978 XX823 BG Jaguar GR1 17 Sqn Crashed onto a beach at Cagliari, Sardinia during unauthorised low level aerobatics while operating from Decimomannu. The pilot was killed
04/08/1978 XV403 M Phantom FGR2 111 Sqn Flew into the North Sea 58 miles off Aberdeen, Grampian during a practice intercept. Both crew were killed
11/08/1978 XL390   Vulcan B2 617 Sqn During a display rehearsal at Glenview NAS, Chicago, Illinois, USA it stalled during a wing over. It crashed onto a rubbish tip killing all four crew
13/09/1978 XP110 PO-655 Wessex HAS3 737 NAS Ditched into the English Channel fifteen miles off Portland, Dorset after engine failure. It was recovered and eventually stored at Wroughton before being delivered to Fleetlands and then Gosport for ground instruction
14/09/1978 XL494  LM Gannet AEW3 849 NAS Damaged a wing and flaps during a landing on HMS Ark Royal. Off loaded at Gibraltar and allocated to fire dump there
18/09/1978 XA287   Cadet TX3 662 GS Written off in a flying accident at Dyce, Aberdeen. The wreck was sold to the RAFGSA and allocated to the Wrekin Flying Club at Cosford and is hanging from the crew room roof
20/09/1978 XP143 PO-650 Wessex HAS3 737 NAS Ditched into the sea 25 miles north of Valley, Anglesey, Gwynedd after an engine surge. One of the flotation bags did not deploy causing the helicopter to roll inverted. The four crew were rescued. To ground instruction at Lee-on-Solent
21/09/1978 XX530 12 Bulldog T1 RNEFTS Flew into high ground at Cochayne Ridge, Cleveland Hills, North Yorkshire after engine failure. Both crew were killed
11/10/1978 XW869 A Gazelle AH1 ARWF The main rotors struck the ground during a low level manoeuvre at Stockbridge, Hants. Control was lost and the aircraft came to rest on its starboard side and was destroyed by fire. The pilot received major injuries
23/10/1978 WT875   Cadet TX3 615 GS All were damaged beyond repair in a hangar fire at Kenley, Greater London
23/10/1978 XA288   Cadet TX3 615 GS
23/10/1978 XA300   Cadet TX3 615 GS
23/10/1978 XN242   Cadet TX3 615 GS
23/10/1978 WB929   Sedbergh TX1 615 GS
23/10/1978 WB940   Sedbergh TX1 615 GS
26/10/1978 WP309 CU-570 Sea Prince T1 750 NAS The undercarriage collapsed while taxying at Yeovilton, Somerset. To the dump at Yeovilton
01/11/1978 XX759 19 Jaguar GR1 226 OCU While being chased by another Jaguar it entered cloud in a gentle climb but emerged in a near vertical dive. It did not recover and crashed at Selkirk, Borders killing the Ecuadorian pilot. See also 3rd July 1979
16/11/1978 XJ695 J Hunter FGA9 1 TWU Made an emergency landing at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire following a multiple bird strike. Not repaired and allocated to 8738M at Manston
23/11/1978 XT598 E Phantom FG1 111 Sqn Flew into St. Andrews Bay some ten miles from Bell Rock while on approach to Leuchars, Fife. Both crew were killed
02/12/1978 XW614   Scout AH1 659 Sqn Flew into Lough Ross, Northern Ireland after the pilot became disorientated during a night time sortie whilst wearing night vision goggles. Both crew were killed
07/12/1978 WT530   Canberra PR7 13 Sqn Lost power on take off from Luqa, Malta due to fuel contamination and crashed. The crew ejected
15/12/1978 XV801 Y Harrier GR3 3 Sqn Crashed at Ennigerloh, West Germany after the pilot ejected following loss of control

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