Date:	Friday 13 November 1970
Time:
Type:	de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen FAW.2
Owner/operator:	899 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	XP955
MSN:	10129
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near HMS Eagle, Moray Firth, off coast of Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Eagle, Moray Firth
Destination airport:	RAF Lossiemouth (EGQS)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Crashed 13/11/1970 into the Moray Firth, Eastern Scotland while operating off HMS Eagle. Observer ejected safely - Observer was Flying Officer G. M. Hamlyn - the same person who later ejected on 6 July 1971 from Sea Vixen XN687 at Charlton Hawthorne (which see). Pilot was killed: he was named as Flt Lt Bruce N. Harrison.

Per eyewitness report: "I was Red Watch Plane Captain of XP955 (121/E) and carried out the Daily Inspection on the slip watch (2200-0600) on 12th-13th November 1970 on HMS Eagle. I was in my bunk when the ship alarm was sounded and the AIRCRAFT DITCHED pipe was made. I couldn't get back to sleep after that and it was shortly after that I heard that it was my plane that had gone in.

It was my first and only close contact with the loss of an aircraft but I also lost my Divisional Officer, Lieutenant Bruce Harrison, which made it so much worse. Luckily, the observer, a RAF Officer if I remember rightly, got out OK and was picked up by the SAR. Bruce Harrison was never found. A memorial service was held later that day.

I gave evidence at the board of enquiry, which I believe was chaired by Commander 'Buster' Bale but never knew what the outcome was. I can remember being asked if I had filled the aircraft drop tanks during the refuel (which I had) but the rest is now a blur."

1. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1970.htm
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20120622210245/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/SeaVixen.htm
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/seavixenpics/xp955.jpg]
4. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.seavixen.org/aircrew/maintenance-testimonies/testimonies-geoff-pollard]
5. http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1970-75.htm

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

10 May 1966

XJ520

890 Sqn FAA RN

1

HMS Ark Royal, Indian Ocean, off Beira

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Jun-2013 22:14	Dr. John Smith	Added
26-Sep-2014 17:35	Anon.	Updated [Narrative]
04-Aug-2015 00:15	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative]