ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 94214
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| Date: | Monday 13 December 1971 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Folland Gnat T.1 |
| Owner/operator: | CFS RAF |
| Registration: | XR567 |
| MSN: | FL557 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire |
| RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Four Gnats were completing a close formation practice over the USAF base at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire. Upon breaking away, XR537 was crossing the airfield at 500ft when the fin detached. It crashed onto the airfield close to the runway narrowly missing five parked USAF F111Es.
At that time it was painted in Red Arrows livery. It was flying as number 4 with three other Red Arrows aircraft, and seemed to impact the runway about 12 deg. nose down. A witness believes he saw the canopy come off and one unsuccessful ejection.
The crew were unable to eject in time and were both killed. Crew named as Flt Lt Clem Longdon and Flt Lt Richard "Dick" Michael Storr. The RAF's entire Gnat T.1 fleet were grounded, and serious cracks were discovered in the fins on several aircraft. These were rectified at HSA Bitteswell over a four year period (1972-76)
Sources:
1. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1971.htm
2. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1029910/
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20160820233030/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/AEROBATIC/Red_Arrows/RED_ARROWS.htm
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jun-2013 06:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 12-Jun-2013 19:14 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Phase] |
| 02-Aug-2015 19:55 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 13-May-2021 21:05 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
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