Hawk XX183 at Sinnington Manor, Kirkbymoorside.
BAe Hawk XX183.
On 23rd July 2003 two Hawk jets were undertaking a training exercise over the Ryedale area. Although based at Valley in North Wales,
the aircraft were on detachment to RAF Linton on Ouse in Yorkshire. At 12.46hrs the aircraft were flying east to west when a bird
struck one of the aircraft, this bird was sucked down into the engine and caused the engine to fail. The trainee pilot was left
with no option but to eject after directing his aircraft downwards, he came down in a field just west of Sinnington near
Strawberry Fields. His aircraft crashed clipped trees near Sinnington Manor which resulted in it being directed down into a
disused railway cutting at Sinnington Manor. The wreckage was spread along the railway cutting and in nearby fields and alot of the wreckage in the
railway cutting caught fire. Police and other services were soon on the scene and the pilot was taken by Sea King helicopter to Scarborough
Hospital where he was kept in overnight with minor leg and back injuries. The spare navigator's seat was also found in a field close to
where the pilot landed, a heavy guard was placed on this for a time as the seat had not fired it was classed as an explosive risk.
A number of witnesses heard a few small bangs over Sinnington, one of which would have been the pilots seat firing.
The aircraft was almost twenty six years old, it was delivered to the RAF on 7th November 1977. It had then spent some time
with the Royal Navy before returning to the RAF. It had just had a major overhaul completed on it in March 2003.
Pilot - Name unknown, not seriously injured.
The railway cutting with the remains of the aircraft, taken just before the clear up operation started.
The pilot landed in this field, just west of Sinnington.
Some of the aircraft wreckage in a field, the majority of the aircraft stayed confined to the railway cutting behind and to the right of where the visable wreckage in the field is.
I visited the area on the evening of the 23rd July 2003 and took some photos, the parachute was still in the field at 17.00hrs on the day but had gone by 19.00hrs.
The aircraft wreckage was still at the scene on the night of the 24th July and a heavy RAF presence was still at the site. I visited the surrounding area and took
afew photos of the general area. The aircraft was finally removed on the 27th and 28th July 2003 with the RAF team camped on site during the whole period.
I was fortunate enough to visit the site in the railway cutting in October 2003. The RAF did a fairly good job of clearing up, however there was
still alot of small burnt peices of the aircraft in the railway cutting and at the edge of the field where the aircraft struck before going into the
cutting. My thanks to Mrs Wilson of Sinnington Manor for allowing me to go on the land and for the photograph of the railway cutting on this page.
Me at the crash site in October 2003.
