| 06/05/2006 | XZ614 | Lynx AH7 | 847 NAS | The helicopter was at 1,650ft on a local area reconnaissance sortie over the city of Basra, Iraq when it was struck by a hostile MANPADS (man-portable air defence system) missile fired from an Iranian supplied SA-14 Gremlin. It exploded and, after plummeting vertically in flames, crashed onto a reinforced concrete rooftop breaking off the cockpit section which fell into an alleyway. The three crew and two passengers were killed. Hundreds of, apparently jubilant, Iraqis swarmed to the crash scene and removed parts of the wreckage. A cordon was set up around the site which sparked violent clashes with the British troops. They came under small arms and mortar fire before firing live rounds in return | |
| 24/05/2006 | XV206 | 206 | Hercules C1 | LTW | Ran over an Anti-Tank mine that had been placed on the runway the previous night when landing at Lashkar Gah Tactical Landing Zone, Afghanistan following a flight from Kabul-Khwaja Rawash Airport. Debris from the landing gear punctured the port wing fuel tanks which ignited in the vicinity of No1 engine and fire quickly spread along the wing. The pilot brought the aircraft to a halt and all 26 occupants were safely evacuated from the plane. The aircraft was consumed by fire and only the tail section was left intact. This aircraft was involved in a collision with a Sea King on 27th June 1985 |
| 13/07/2006 | ZG512 | Harrier GR9 | 1 Sqn | While en-route to the International Air Tattoo at Fairford the pilot was asked to carry out an overshoot at Kidlington Airfield, Oxfordshire by the ATC there. The pilot was forced to eject after misjudging a tight turn while trying to avoid flying over Blenheim Palace resulting in loss of control. The aircraft was fully laden with fuel but was being flown as a lightweight with the incorrect flap and jet settings. It crashed onto the A4260 road at Tackley, five miles north east of the airfield and was destroyed. It struck a car on the road injuring the driver. The pilot was taken to hospital with minor injuries | |
| 02/09/2006 | XV230 | 30 | Nimrod MR2 | 120 Sqn | All 14 crew were killed when the aircraft crashed near the village of Chalaghor, 10 miles from Kandahar, Afghanistan. It was supporting NATO led Operation Medusa against the Taliban and crashed in the southern Afghan province after a fire broke out in the rear fuselage following a mid-air refuelling at 20,000 ft. The pilot was attempting an emergency lading at Kandahar but the aircraft broke up at 3,000 ft. The crew of 14 consisted of 12 RAF men from 120 Squadron and two special forces signallers relaying intelligence gathered to troops on the ground. A fuel leakage in the bottom of the fuselage caught fire. The fire quickly spread and lead to several explosions which caused the aircraft to break up. It had been operating out of Oman at the time of the accident |
| 15/11/2006 | XX226 | 226 | Hawk T1 | FRADU | The pilot aborted take off from Yeovilton, Somerset at rotate speed after an hydraulic warning. It was damaged when it took the barrier at 80kts after attempting to stop on a wet runway. To Shawbury for store and, with the rundown in the T1 fleet announced in 2010, it was declared CAT 5 |
| 24/11/2006 | ZG711 | O | Tornado GR4 | 2 Sqn | Both crew were forced to eject during a bombing run on Holbeach Range, Lincolnshire following a bird strike. The aircraft crashed onto mud flats in the Wash. The crew were rescued from the water by helicopter and taken to Kings Lynn Hospital. Neither was badly injured. The wreckage was scattered for about a mile across tidal mud flats |
| 15/12/2006 | XX172 | 172 | Hawk T1 | FRADU | Suffered a major bird strike but managed to make a safe emergency landing at Yeovilton, Somerset. To Shawbury for store and, with the rundown in the T1 fleet announced in 2010, it was declared CAT 5 |
