Two RAF pilots are recovering from minor injuries after ejecting from their Hawk T2 aircraft moments before it crashed and burst into a fireball near RAF Valley in Anglesey on Wednesday. Both pilots, a trainee and a veteran instructor, are expected to make a full recovery, according to the RAF.
Ejection and Crash Details
The aircraft ran into difficulty shortly after take-off and crashed in Pencarnisiog. Footage captured the two pilots rocketing out of their cockpits after pressing 'eject' before the plane hit the ground and exploded. Sources suggest the aircraft may have been deliberately steered away from buildings and aimed at a field as it headed for the crash.
One source familiar with RAF practice told the Mirror: "The decision to eject was likely taken by a senior instructor who pressed 'eject' for both people. The plane hit a field and it is likely whoever took control will have done all they could to void it hitting a building or people."
Official Statements
Gp Capt Gez Currie, Station Commander, told the BBC: "The aircraft would have been aimed in a direction that the pilot believed was open field, in order to avoid built-up areas and anybody on the ground." He confirmed that the two people involved are a trainee and an experienced pilot, adding: "It's far too early to even suggest what has happened in this occasion. It was a trainee, with a highly experienced instructor on a routine sortie, across the Anglesey area."
Currie, who has 30 years of experience as an air traffic controller, said: "This is the first time I've experienced this."
Investigation and Precautionary Measures
The RAF said: "Both pilots are doing well, they are in extremely good spirits and expected to make a full recovery. A formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is now under way and, as a precautionary measure, the RAF has temporarily paused Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 flying operations."
The Hawk T2, which prepares pilots for flying Typhoon jets, is a slightly more sophisticated version of the variant used by the Red Arrows display team. All flying of the craft, including the Red Arrows, has been put on hold pending the investigation. It is not known when flying of the Hawks will resume. Both pilots are still in hospital undergoing check-ups.
