1994 losses

05/01/1994 XZ495 713 Sea Harrier FRS2 899 NAS/FRS2 OEU Crashed into the Bristol Channel off Lundy Island after the pilot had ejected following mechanical problems. He was picked up seven minutes later by a 22 Sqn Wessex from Chivenor
14/01/1994 ZD349 C Harrier GR7 20(R) Sqn While flying as No 1 of a pair the aircraft was bounced by another Harrier. The pilot took evasive action and put the aircraft into a shallow dive. Although the low altitude warning sounded at 250ft the US Marine Corps pilot did not respond and the aircraft flew  into the ground near to the village of Aston Somerville, five mile south east of  Evesham, Hereford and Worcestershire. He did not eject and was killed
19/03/1994 ZD275   Lynx AH7 655 Sqn While hovering at 100ft prior to landing at Crossmaglen Army camp, Northern Ireland the tail rotor was struck by an IRA mortar shell. The helicopter caught fire and began to spin uncontrollably. The pilot managed an emergency landing close to the perimeter fence. The three crew dragged an injured Royal Ulster Constabulary officer clear before the fuel tanks exploded engulfing the Lynx in flames
26/03/1994 ZD567 AY-365 Lynx HAS3 815 NAS   HMS Argyll Flt Crashed into the sea off Andros Island in the West Indies while practising for an air display and following a wing over manoeuvre. The crew escaped and were rescued but the aircraft sank in 5,000ft of water
10/04/1994 XZ667   Lynx AH7 655 Sqn The crew were attempting to return to Aldergrove, Northern Ireland after experiencing a run down on No.1 engine. Both engines then gave indications of varying power and an emergency lading was initiated. A loud bang was heard from No 1 engine but a safe landing was made in a boggy field three miles north of Portadown, South Armagh with little damage to the helicopter. As the three crew evacuated a fire was noted which took hold and destroyed the helicopter. The engine failure was due to an uncontained failure of the second stage Free Power Turbine which then over sped, shed blades and severed fuel lines
16/04/1994 XZ498   Sea Harrier FRS1 801 NAS Shot down by a MANPAS (man-portable air defence system) fired by the Bosnian Serb Army during its second run over the target west of Gorazde, Bosnia. The pilot ejected and, after evading capture, was rescued some days later by a French Super Puma helicopter several kilometres from the crash scene. The Sea Harrier had been operating off HMS Ark Royal
02/06/1994 ZD576 G Chinook HC2 7 Sqn Flew into rising cliffs of Bienn na Lice, near the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse, Strathclyde in low cloud at high speed. It was en route from Aldergrove, Northern Ireland  to Fort George, Scotland with twenty five high ranking security officers on board. All 25 officers and the four crew were killed
07/06/1994 ZE809 HP Tornado F3 111 Sqn While on loan to 11 Squadron it crashed into the North Sea sixty miles east of Newcastle, Tyne & Wear after the rear of the aircraft caught fire. The crew ejected and were rescued. A labyrinth seal around the high pressure shaft failed. This caused the shaft to fail and the turbine to overspeed and also fail. An explosion occurred which penetrated the engine casing and severed several hydraulic lines. This started a fire which quickly engulfed the rear of the aircraft
27/06/1994 XW268 VL-720 Harrier T4N 899 NAS Suffered a heavy landing  at Yeovilton, Somerset. Several tyres burst and it came to rest on the grass with the starboard outrigger collapsed
08/07/1994 ZH558 GF Tornado F3 43 Sqn While on approach to Akrotiri, Cyprus the pilot did not arrest the rate of descent and flew into the Mediterranean Sea ten miles SE of the base. The crew made no attempt to eject and were both killed
19/07/1994 ZA368 AJ-P Tornado GR1 617 Sqn Suffered engine problems during a practice single engine approach at night to Lossiemouth, Grampian. The pilot selected reheat to overshoot and dumped fuel. This ignited and started a fire which damaged the flying controls. When turning onto finals control was lost, the crew ejected and it crashed into the Moray Firth, fifteen miles off the coast. The aircraft was on loan to 15(R) Squadron
01/08/1994 ZA397 O Tornado GR1A 2 Sqn Four Tornados were in loose formation with a Tristar over Northern Quebec, Canada during a flight to Goose Bay. During a gentle turn to the left ZA397 collided with the underside of ZD844. ZA397 caught fire and plunged out of control into a reservoir. The crew ejected and were picked up from their dinghies eight hours later by helicopter. ZD844 made an emergency landing at La Grande Rivere, a small airfield in the James Bay area of Northern Quebec and was airlifted back to the UK for repair. The wreckage of ZA397 could not be located
01/08/1994 ZD844 DE Tornado GR1 31 Sqn
01/09/1994 ZG708 C Tornado GR1A 13 Sqn While at low level down Glen Ogle, near Killin, north of Lochearnhead, Perthshire. a sudden control movement was made and reheat applied. The aircraft rolled into a hillside close to the A85 road and disintegrated, killing both crew. Possibly due to taking evasive action to avoid a bird strike
19/09/1994 ZG725 J Tornado GR1A 13 Sqn Approach to Decimomannu, Sardinia was abandoned after the right hand engine failed. Fuel was dumped but this ignited and the subsequent fire damaged the flying controls. The crew ejected when control was lost on finals and the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea
22/09/1994 XZ650   Lynx AH7 1 Regt While flying at 600 feet shortly after take off from Mendig, Germany a tie-bar between the rotor head and rotor blade failed which resulted in the loss of a rotor blade. This caused a catastrophic break up of the aircraft over a large area. The main part of the aircraft crashed into a field near the village of Welling and burnt out. Both crew were killed. As a result of the tie bar failure all British, Dutch, French and German Lynx were grounded pending inspection. A fault in the manufacture of the tie bar was discovered
11/11/1994 XZ310 U Gazelle AH1 670 Sqn The student lost control of the helicopter while in a 15 foot hover at Middle Wallop, Hampshire. In an attempt to regain control he pulled the cyclic control stick right back which resulted in the tail striking the ground. The instructor was unable to regain control and the aircraft pitched forward and struck the ground nose first. The main rotor detached after hitting the ground and the aircraft came to rest lying on its side. Both crew escaped safely
15/12/1994 XZ493 126 Sea Harrier FRS1 800 NAS Crashed into the Adriatic Sea off Bosnia due to loss of yaw control while on approach to HMS Invincible. The pilot ejected and was rescued by a Spanish Navy helicopter

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