Newcastle Airport RAF Tornado crash landing report

Jul 3 2009 by Alastair Craig, The Journal

THE combination of a bird strike and pilot error resulted in a fighter jet crash landing at a North East airport.

An RAF Tornado made a crisis diversion to Newcastle Airport on August 5 last year but overshot the runway by around 30 metres, forcing its complete closure.

The £30m military jet, used on reconnaissance missions supporting coalition forces in Iraq, came to rest on the grass at the far end of the strip near Dinnington village, its front wheel collapsing on landing.

The pilot and co-pilot were taken to hospital with cuts and bruises while a full-scale emergency alert was declared at the accident scene.

Fire crews based at the airport surrounded the stricken plane which ended nose-down close to the perimeter fence.

Scorch marks could be seen on the tail of the Tornado, which was manoeuvring in the area from its 13 Squadron base at RAF Marham in Norfolk.

Now, a report released by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch 11 months after the crash has uncovered previously unclear details about the fateful flight.

The report says the Tornado was involved in a bird strike 45-miles north west of Newcastle, at a height of 430ft over Northumberland National Park.