Date:	Tuesday 4 December 1956
Time:	15:00
Type:	Hawker Hunter F Mk 4
Owner/operator:	98 Sqn RAF
Registration:	XE669
MSN:	HABL/003112
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	1 mile south of RAF Jever, 4.3 km WSW of Schortens, Lower Saxony -   Germany
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Jever, Lower Saxony
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Hawker Hunter F.4 XE669 ["L"]: Written off (destroyed) 4/12/56 - The engine exploded shortly after take off from Jever, West Germany causing the jet pipe to extend six feet out of the fuselage. The pilot (Flying Officer David J.Young) ejected but was killed when the ejection seat failed. (Cause of failure: Barostatic Time Delay Unit failed after reportedly being incorrectly fitted and calibrated)

Per except from Squadron Operational Record Book: "XE669, 4 DEC, CAT 5. FATAL. Shortly after take-off and whilst in cloud, the pilot called that his fire warning light was on. He throttled back and pulled up through cloud the tops of which were 3,000 ft. The No. 2 then observed that there appeared to be about six feet of jet pipe protruding from the end of the fuselage. The aircraft appeared to lose height and speed steadily and was streaming white smoke. Just before re-entering cloud the pilot ejected but hit the ground still attached to his seat.

COMMENT: A Court of Inquiry has been convened. We do not usually comment when a Court of Inquiry has not been finalized but in this case we would like to say that the seat did not operate automatically because the protection cap of the barostatic time release unit had jammed due to incorrect fitting. All caps in the Command were checked immediately this was known...the safety plate over the first stage release plunger had been fitted the wrong way round thus preventing the correct operation of the seat. After grounding all Hunters at Jever, two more were found to have been incorrectly fitted."

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.184 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100-XZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 2001 p 24)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/375: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424496
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/35/S2855: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578635
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=XE
6. http://web.archive.org/web/20170723045955/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1956.htm#dec
7. http://www.rafjever.org/98sqnacc001.htm
8. http://www.rafjever.org/sharepast.htm#YoungD

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Mar-2012 08:29	Dr. John Smith	Added
16-Aug-2012 07:46	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location]
24-Mar-2013 16:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
22-Jan-2020 22:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
22-Jan-2020 23:04	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator]
09-Apr-2024 10:10	Nepa	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]