On Monday, 27th July 1987 the crew of this 31 Squadron Tornado were undertaking a low level exercise with a number of other aircraft. This aircraft was the lead aircraft of a formation of three that took off from Bruggen, Germany and flew the training exercise over the UK. The aircraft were flying at reasonably low level over North Yorkshire and as they neared the Kirbymoorside area the crews noticed the Ryedale Show site at Welburn so climbed their aircraft to 1500 feet. Ryedale Show took place the day after this incident but it took some days to set up the site. At the same time as it climbed, Tornado XD738 suffered hydraulic system failure which saw the controls become ineffective. The aircraft initially pitched nose up and then pitched nose down which left the crew with little choice but to eject. They ejected at around 800 feet above the ground and survived their descents. The aircraft continued in the nose down attitude and came down on farm land between Fadmoor and Kirkbymoorside, it crashed at the edge of a field and on top of a hedge making a four metre deep hole in the ground. A Search and Rescue Sea King helicopter was scrambled from RAF Boulmer, located both airmen and transported the two airmen to Scarborough Hospital. Wreckage from the resulting explostion scattered wreckage for some distance with pieces entering buildings at Holly Lodge Farm killing several turkeys. The pilot returned to his squadron two days later while the navigator sustained spinal injuries and spent considerable time in hospital.

Tornado ZD738 was built by Panavia and was completed at Warton. It first flew at Warton on 8th February 1984. It then initially went to the A&AEE (Handling Squadron) at Boscombe Down on 19th July 1984 before being transferred to A.S.F. at Bruggen on 7th August 1985. Here it was allotted to 31 Squadron at Bruggen on 15th May 1985 where it carried the code "DD". It was destroyed in the crash near Fadmoor on 27th July 1987 with Cat.5(s)FA damage being the damage assessment that saw it struck off charge.

Pilot - S/Ldr Ivor Brett Walker RAF (8021248). Minor injuries.

Navigator - F/Lt Stephen John Lloyd B.A. RAF (5203207). Minor injuries.

I visited the crash site of XD738 in April 2002 to photograph it. The hole had been been filled in by that date but the area of the field was still uncultivated. A new hedge row had just been planted. As the years have progressed, the site is nearly unnoticable today.