2005 losses

30/01/2005 XV179 179 Hercules C1 LTW Departed Baghdad, Iraq for a routine flight to Balad with ten on board. When flying at low level it was hit by surface to air enemy fire. Fuel in the right hand wing exploded and the outboard 23 feet of the wing separated. The pilot was unable to maintain control and it crashed into the desert and broke up killing all occupants
21/02/2005 XZ646 C Lynx AH7 847 NAS The three crew escaped with minor injuries after the helicopter made an emergency landing Modrinje, Sarajevo, Bosnia after hitting power lines
23/03/2005 ZH808 N-003 Sea Harrier F/A2 801 NAS The pilot declared an emergency whilst operating from HMS Illustrious off the South Cyprus coast. He diverted to RAF Akrotiri where it was discovered that a fuel leak had caused severe damage inside the wings. With the withdrawal of the type it was declared a write off. The airframe was sold to a private owner in Cyprus
03/03/2005 XZ695 NM-417 Lynx HMA8 815 NAS During Exercise Marstrike05 is was misdirected back to HMS Nottingham. It ran out of fuel 41 miles from the ship and made a controlled ditching alongside MV Wilhelm Schulte in Indian Ocean 120 miles off Oman. It sank in 2,800 meters of water but the crew were rescued safely
12/06/2005 ZD478 J Sea King HC4 845 NAS During take off at night from Camp Abu Naji, Al Amarah, Iraq it was caught by the rotor downwash from an RAF Merlin. It lost height and the tail struck a wall. The main rotors then severed the tailcone and the helicopter struck the ground heavily tearing off the undercarriage. To Fleetlands and initially declared CAT 4. This was subsequently changed to CAT 5 and parts were used to repair ZF115. To HMS Sultan at Gosport in 2009
14/10/2005 ZE962 XC Tornado F3 111 Sqn The aircraft entered an uncontrollable spin while in a steep climb shortly after take off from Leuchars, Fife. The crew ejected safely at approximately 8,000ft and the aircraft crashed into the North Sea. Both crew received minor injuries and were rescued after 40 minutes in the water by Sea King helicopter
14/10/2005 ZD469 59A Harrier GR7A 3 Sqn Badly damaged by debris during a rocket attack on Kandahar airbase, Afghanistan. It was returned to the UK for repair assessment and was deemed to be damaged beyond economic repair. In 2008 it was allocated for Ground Instruction use at Cottesmore. With the withdrawal of the Harrier fleet in December 2010 it was restored externally and, in April 2011, was placed on the gate at Wittering

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