Pilots of crashed military jet steered to ‘avoid built-up area’
Updated . First published at
Moments before a British military jet crashed in a fireball, the pilots steered the plane away from houses and buildings before ejecting, a top commander says.
The Hawk T2 trainer aircraft had flown from the RAF Valley station on the island of Anglesey in Wales on Wednesday when it struck the ground in the village of Pencarnisiog, narrowly missing homes.
The pilots ejected shortly before the RAF jet crashed. 9News
Group Captain Gez Currie, the station commander, told the BBC the crew would have guided the stricken jet towards open countryside.
"The aircraft would have been aimed in a direction that the pilot believed was open field, in order to avoid built-up areas and anybody on the ground."
The experienced instructor and the trainee pilot ejected seconds before their plane crashed. They are expected to make a full recovery.
In a Facebook statement, the RAF said: "Both pilots are doing well, they are in extremely good spirits and expected to make a full recovery.
"A formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is now under way and, as a precautionary measure, the RAF has temporarily paused Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 flying operations.
The plane nosedived and burst into flames after hitting the ground. 9News
Currie said an investigation into the crash was underway, adding “it’s far too early to even suggest what has happened in this occasion”.
He said the instructor guiding the trainee pilot on a routine training flight was highly experienced.
Anglesey councillor Neville Evans said he believed it had been a “very lucky escape considering how close” the crash was to a village and caravan park.
Social media video taken on Wednesday appears to show the two pilots ejecting just seconds before the plane nosedives and crashes in a fireball.
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