On the 23rd January 1978 the crew flying this No.1 Flying Training School aircraft were undertaking a day-time routine training exercise in the skies over North Yorkshire, on board was an experienced instructor and a trainee pilot and the flight was to allow the pupil to gain experience of instrument flying. Although there were cloudy conditions covering at least part of the North Yorkshire Moors the height at which this part of the training flight was carried out the visibility was reported to have been adequate for the flight. The instructor let his pupil fly the aircraft using instruments, on a second attempted routine exercise the pupil let the aircraft get into a descending banked turn from which he was unable to recover and which, by the time the instructor took over control, the diving turn had increased in angle and speed and the aircraft was now in cloud. The instructor was unable to get the aircraft out of what had now become a very fast dive (reported to have been at over 4g), control had been lost so both airmen ejected from the aircraft. The aircraft came down in Dalby Forest near High Rigg Farm and was destroyed, the two airmen landed nearby and were later picked up by a helicopter from Leconfield. The instructor sustained the more serious injuries due to the ejection, the pupil was only slightly injured. Both were taken to RAF Hospital Nocton Hall.
The incident is recorded in the unit record book. It also states that a crash guard was placed on the wreckage and RAF Fylingdales provided the guard with hot meals. The guard was changed every twenty four hours and was withdrawn when the wreckage was removed to Linton on Ouse on 29th January 1978.
Jet Provost XW426 was built to contact number KC/E/124 by B.A.C. at Luton and was completed by 25th May 1972 when it was awaiting collection from BAC Luton. It first passed to 5 MU at Kemble on 22nd June 1972 and then to No.3 Flying Training School at Leeming on 3rd November 1972 and it was coded "53". It was used in the 'Swords' Aerobatic Team in 1974 and was still at Leeming on 3rd January 1975 but was now uncoded. On 21st February 1975 it transferred to 1 FTS based at Linton on Ouse, where it was coded "-5" and on 15th April 1975 it went back to Leeming but into storage and was coded "-53". On 10th October 1975 it was allocated to BAE for conversion to a T.5A. This begun on 7th November 1975 at Warton and was completed on 27th February 1976. On this date it was transferred to 1 FTS, and returned to Linton on Ouse and coded "-60". It was destroyed in the crash detailed above on 23rd January 1978 and damage recorded as Cat.5(s)/FA. It was struck off charge as a result of the incident in Dalby Forest four days later on 27th January 1978.
Instructor Pilot - F/Lt John Hughes RAF (608325), aged 31. Minor injuries.
Trainee Pilot - F/Lt David John Bowring BSc RAF (5203385), aged 22. Minor injuries.
I am very aware that both men involved in this incident are probably still alive, I am therefore not keen to detail their flying careers here without having their consent first. The basics shown below are available in the public domain in the online London Gazette archive. David Bowring was appointed a permanent commission in the RAF 22nd August 1976, with seniority back-dated to 22nd November 1974. He rose to F/O on 22nd February 1977, with seniority back-dated to 22nd May 1975 and then to F/Lt on 22nd November 1977.
The aircraft crashed into the trees shown in these photographs, as photographed in 2012.
The woodland was clear-felled in 2013 and I returned to the site in January 2014 to see if I could spot anything on the surface now there was more light available. I located a few pieces of the aircraft and also numerous tiny fragments of coloured paint in the soil.
A sample of the coloured paint found in January 2013 shown with a shotgun cartridge for scale.
A small removable access panel.
Markings on the panel with an English Electric Preston inspection stamp.