Date:	Wednesday 5 October 1960
Time:	day
Type:	Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 Prototype
Owner/operator:	Blackburn Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	XK486
MSN:	B3-01-58
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Low Hunsley Farm, Little Weighton, East Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, East Yorkshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On 5-10-60 Mr. G.R.I "Sailor" Parker and his observer, Mr. David Nightingale were obliged to eject from XK486 (the Blackburn NA.39 Buccaneer prototype) when the artificial horizon indicator (AHI) went u/s in cloud.

The mission was auto-pilot testing although "Sailor" Parker was flying manually when the AHI packed up. Ejection was a problem for the observer due to the airflow through the cockpit after the canopy was jettisoned. Fortunately "Sailor" Parker had closed the throttles prior to ejecting, and Dave Nightingale was able to reach the alternative handle between his knees once the aircraft had slowed sufficiently. Aircraft continued to fly over E. Yorkshire for 6 minutes during which it stalled and recovered crashing in level flight.

Following this incident back-up AHI’s were fitted to all Buccaneers and blast screens installed between the pilot’s and observer’s seats. The aircraft crashed at Low Hunsley Farm near Little Weighton, E.Yorks.

Both aircrew were not military, but civilian employees of Blackburn Aircraft Ltd - "Sailor" Parer being Blackburn's Deputy Chief Test Pilot.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p. 203 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100-XZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 2001 p 52)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/441: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424562
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/39/S2991: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578771
5. http://web.archive.org/web/20170721225135/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/Buccaneer.htm
6. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1960.htm
7. http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/NA39_XK486_files/0_NA39_XK486.html
8. http://thetartanterror.blogspot.com/2008/05/gri-sailor-parker-1919-1963.html
9. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=XK

Buccaneer First Flight.
For reasons of secrecy, aircraft called BNA (Blackburn Naval Aircraft) or BANA (Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft) in documents, leading to nickname of "Banana Jet". The first prototype made its maiden flight from RAE Bedford on 30 April 1958. pic.twitter.com/zs2A1e7Deg

— Chris Bolton (@CcibChris) April 30, 2019

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Jul-2011 23:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
17-Sep-2013 19:08	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
27-Jan-2020 21:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Source, Embed code, Narrative]