RAF jets collide
At 14:49z Tornado GR1 ZA394 of 2Sqn collided with Jaguar GR1A XZ108 of 54Sqn over Riding Mill, Northumberland. The crew from the Tornado ejected with both members suffering injuries while the Jaguar performed an emergency landing at Leeming (with 2 feet of the port wing missing). The Tornado crashed near Styford Bridge, 3 miles East of Hexham, Northumberland.
The Jaguar was part of a flight of three out of Coltishall and planned a low level run through the borders low-fly system before returning to base. The Tornado was from Laarbruch, Germany, but had operated out of Wattisham to perform a low level mission to SW Scotland before planning to return to Germany pulling out of the low fly system West of Newcastle
A 202Sqn Sea King rescue helicopter from Boulmer took
the Tornado crew took a Newcastle hospital -
Pilot -
Flight Lt Ian MacLean suffered a broken leg
Navigator - Flight Lt Neil Johnston suffered two broken legs
On 3rd September 1998, Jaguar XZ108 (now a GR1B assigned to 41Sqn) wasn't so fortunate when it crashed in to the North Sea while pilot was performing Air Combat Training. Thankfully the pilot ejected in time and was rescued by helicopter with only slight injuries.