ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 55077
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| Date: | Wednesday 22 April 1987 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Blackburn Buccaneer S Mk 2B |
| Owner/operator: | 12 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | XW540 |
| MSN: | B3-01-71 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | into sea, 10 miles SE of Copinsay, Orkney, Scotland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lossiemouth (EGQS) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
April 22nd 1987. Two Buccaneer S2B aircraft take off from Lossiemouth for a night training sortie over the North Sea. The No 2 aircraft for this sortie was XW540 being flown by F/Lt John Julian Cooke with F/O Adrian Francis Fahy as Navigator.
After a successful attack on the Tain bombing range the pair flew further north to conduct a simulated anti ship attack. The night was very dark with overcast skies but visibility was good. The flight leader designated a target (Copinsay Lighthouse) and the pair began to descend and accelerate and at 1000 feet the leader called for a height check and another when both aircraft were at 600 feet and flying at 480 knots.
The leader then ordered the No 2 to split to widen the formation before the attack. The No 2 aircraft banked away then turned back towards the target. F/O Fahy radioed No 1 for a heading check which was given but not acknowledged and a few seconds later the No1 saw a fireball on the sea.
Realizing that his No2 had crashed the flight leader circled the area, some 10 miles SE of Copinsay,
(Location of loss cited as N58 30.00 W2 0.00) and issued a Mayday. The emergency services mounted a rescue operation but unfortunately neither of the crew had time to see the danger and eject and both were killed instantly.The body of F/Lt Cooke was found next morning but F/O Fahy's body was never recovered.
F/Lt Cooke now lies in Lossiemouth Town Cemetery. Source 6.
Adrian Fahy is commemorated on a memorial at All Saints’ Church, Braishfield, Hampshire. (Source 7).
Like that of John Cooke, his name also appears on the UK Armed Forces Memorial. See sources 8 and 9.
Sources:
1. http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/S2B_XW540_files/0_S2B_XW540.html
2. http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/maas_19870422_xw540.pdf
3. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1987.htm
4. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/288615/details/blackburn+buccaneer+s2+north+sea/
5. http://web.archive.org/web/20170721225135/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/Buccaneer.htm
6. https://www.search-armed-forces-memorial-roll-of-honour.service.gov.uk/serviceperson/adc6f821-4215-4bf0-9aa4-cba4d3ee2654
7. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/40568
8. https://www.search-armed-forces-memorial-roll-of-honour.service.gov.uk/serviceperson/f147bfe8-d6f0-4f7d-ad38-bb5a37796c59
9. https://www.thenma.org.uk/visit-us/what's-here/the-memorials/armed-forces-memorial
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Jul-2011 12:38 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Feb-2012 09:15 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source] |
| 29-May-2013 00:42 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 04-Aug-2015 00:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code] |
| 18-Oct-2018 18:58 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 24-May-2023 05:22 | Richard | Updated [[Operator, Operator]] |
| 25-May-2023 05:15 | Richard | Updated [[[Operator, Operator]]] |
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