The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has temporarily suspended its Hawk training fleets after an aircraft crashed near RAF Valley on Anglesey, North Wales.
During the incident, a Hawk T2 crashed into open fields after takeoff, narrowly missing nearby homes.
Eyewitness accounts and video footage posted online showed flames issuing from the rear of the jet during its takeoff roll, followed by unusual pitch movements before the crew ejected, according to The Telegraph.
A trainee and a senior instructor aboard the platform declared an emergency and ejected before impact.
The pilots have already received treatment for minor injuries and are expected to make a full recovery.
“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,” RAF Valley Station Commander Group Capt. Gez Currie told BBC.
Investigation Underway
The RAF grounded operations for all Hawk T1 and T2 platforms, as a formal investigation proceeds in response to the mishap.
The operational pause directly affects fighter jet pilot instruction as well as the Red Arrows aerobatic display team, which flies the older T1 variant.
Sources said that the accident comes amid ongoing reliability concerns surrounding the Hawk fleet’s engines and support systems.
London issued a request for information last month as an initial step toward replacing both variants.
BAE Systems, the jet’s manufacturer, stated it is supporting the investigation, but directed specific inquiries to the RAF, Blackpool Gazette reported.