Red Arrows pilot dies in Bournemouth Air Festival crash

[dutchman]

An RAF Red Arrows pilot died when his plane crashed following a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival in Dorset.



Flt Lt Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, was killed when his Hawk T1 aircraft - Red 4 - crashed about 1km south east of Bournemouth Airport at 13:50 BST.

Eyewitnesses described seeing the plane plunge to the ground in a field near the River Stour at Throop village.

It was one of nine Red Arrows aircraft that had earlier taken part in a display over the seafront.

Shaun Spencer-Perkins, who witnessed the crash from Throop Mill, said: "I heard a rushing sound and I saw a plane about 15m above the ground racing across the fields.

"It impacted and bounced across the field, made it across the river.

"Members of the public jumped into the water to search for the cockpit.

"We waved down the helicopter, I took off my son's orange jacket and my wife's red jumper to get the attention of the helicopter."

He said the plane had crashed about 100m from where he and his family were walking near the River Stour and debris was spread across a large area.

Organisers of the Bournemouth Air Festival said events were continuing as scheduled.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said they were investigating the incident.

The crash site remains cordoned off by police and only people living inside the zone are being allowed access.

The Military Air Accident Investigation Branch were also admitted through the cordon to start work on identifying the cause of the crash.

[dutchman]

Tributes paid to gifted pilot



Tributes have been paid to Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging after his Red Arrow jet crashed in Dorset.

The display team had taken part in a performance at the Bournemouth Air Festival when the jet came down just south of Bournemouth Airport.

Flight Lieutenant Egging, 33, from Rutland, was known to colleagues as "Eggman".

Group Captain Simon Blake, the Commandant of the RAF's Central Flying School said he was a "gifted aviator" who only joined the team in the position known as Red Four last autumn.

"Throughout his winter training and the display season to date, his professionalism, skill and humility have shone through," Group Captain Blake said.

"A true team player, his good nature and constant smile will be sorely missed by all.

"In such a close knit team, this tragedy will be keenly felt by his fellow team members, the Reds and all of the engineering and support staff, the Blues."

According to the Royal Air Force (RAF) website, Flight Lieutenant Egging became interested in flying at a young age, after his airline pilot father used to allow him into the cockpit for take-off and landing.

He was married, and leaves behind a wife, Emma.

Before joining the Red Arrows, he flew the Harrier GR9 and supported coalition ground forces during operational missions in Afghanistan.

Air Vice Marshal Mark Green, Air Officer Commanding 22 (Training) Group, said: "I first met Flt Lt Jon Egging in 2003 when I became his Station Commander.

"Even at that early stage in his career, Jon's professionalism, competence and ever present smile made him stand out from the crowd.

Hence, his eventual selection for duties with the Red Arrows came as no surprise.

"His time with the team was typified by the characteristics that were Jon's trademark: Professionalism, enthusiasm for life and a willingness to help others that transcended all boundaries.

"Jon will be sorely missed by all those that had the privilege to know him.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Jon's family and friends at this tragic time."

[dutchman]

The RAF's Red Arrows display team has been grounded while investigators try to establish the cause of a crash in Dorset which killed one of its pilots.



Flt Lt Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, died when his Hawk T1 aircraft crashed near Bournemouth Airport after a display on Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses described seeing his plane hit the ground in a field by the River Stour near the village of Throop.

Organisers of the Bournemouth Air Festival are planning a tribute later.

A spokesman said there would be a one minute's silence ahead of Sunday's air displays and a special tribute to Flt Lt Egging at 13:00 BST.

Books of condolence have also been opened in Bournemouth for public tributes.

Dorset Police said Flt Lt Egging, known as 'Eggman', was thrown from the aircraft and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shortly before the crash, his wife, Dr Emma Egging, had watched him take part in a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival.

She said later: "Watching him today, I was the proudest I've ever been. I loved everything about him, and he will be missed."

Gp Capt Simon Blake, the commandant of the RAF Central Flying School, said the Ministry of Defence had begun an investigation into the cause of the crash and all Red Arrows Hawk T1 aircraft had been grounded as a standard safety measure.

He said: "At this juncture it is too early to speculate as to the cause of the accident.

"In accordance with normal policy the Ministry of Defence has appointed a service inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and... have grounded the Hawk T1 temporarily until its safety can be assured.

"As for the rest of the season it is too early to speculate as to when the Red Arrows will be back on the public circuit but suffice to say for the short term they will not be able to perform in public."

The Red Arrows are based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, and the rest of the Hawk T1 fleet is based at RAF Valley in Anglesey. The entire Hawk T1 fleet, which stands at more than 170 aircraft, has been grounded.

[dutchman]

The widow of a Red Arrows pilot who died after an air display says she has been overwhelmed by the tributes paid in the wake of his "devastating" loss.



Dr Emma Egging described him as "an amazing friend and husband".

Bournemouth Air Festival observed one minute's silence before the start of Sunday's display.

"The tributes that have poured in over the last two days... both online and here in Bournemouth have just been astounding," said Dr Egging.

"It's very heartfelt when I say thank you to everybody, both personally on my behalf and on Jon's behalf and I know the Red Arrows are completely bowled over by the support."

She said Saturday had been the first time she had seen her husband perform a full display.

"I was on the beach so I was really proud. Everything that happened yesterday at the same time was obviously completely devastating."

An inquest into Flt Lt Egging's death has been opened and adjourned in Bournemouth.

[dutchman]

The Hawk T1 jets – used by the Red Arrows – have been cleared to start flying again after a crash which killed a Warwickshire pilot.

But the Red Arrows are expected to cancel all their remaining air display bookings for the rest of the year.

Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, who was brought up in the village of Ufton, was killed when his aircraft plunged to the ground near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset on Saturday.

He and his fellow Red Arrows pilots had just completed a formation display over the town’s seafront.

The RAF grounded all 126 of its Hawk T1s, which are also used to train fast-jet pilots, while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the tragedy.

But the Ministry of Defence confirmed there were no wider safety concerns about the aircraft.

The aerobatics team’s jets, which had routine maintenance at Bournemouth Airport while they were grounded, will return to their base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire in the coming days.

Individual Red Arrows pilots will continue flying practice, but the team is unlikely to do any display training in the coming months, sources said.

Meanwhile, a photograph apparently showing a mystery bright light underneath a Red Arrows jet before the crash has been passed to the investigation team.



The picture was reportedly taken around 30 seconds before Flt Lt Egging’s jet came down.

Dorset Police said the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene.

He had apparently steered the plane – Red 4 – away from homes in a nearby village.

The image shows a light at a jet’s rear after the RAF’s world famous acrobatic team completed a display.

The picture was taken by photographer and military aviation enthusiast, Ryan Money, 25, who claims he has taken about 1,500 photographs of Red Arrows planes over the years.

He said it “looks like a small explosion” and an “engine blow out”.

There have also been suggestions the flash may have been due to a reflection or a strobe light fitted underneath the aircraft.

But one former RAF pilot told Sky News Online it looked “bigger than a strobe light”.

He said in the picture the pilot “hasn’t lost any speed and (the light) is not causing him any problems. There’s no smoke coming out.

He added: “That light could be the start of something.”

He also said the plane was in the Red 4 position but the Ministry of Defence has not confirmed that the jet in the picture was the stricken aircraft.

Mr Money did not think the light was due to a reflection: “If there is reflection on one (plane) it will appear on others like on the wing tip. The plane was flying over a cornfield.”

After the crash, the pilot’s wife Emma said: “Jon was everything to those that knew him, and he was the best friend and husband I could ever have wished for.

“I know that he would have wanted me to say something from the heart at this time. There was nothing bad about Jon. He loved his job and was an exemplary pilot.

“Watching him today, I was the proudest I’ve ever been. I loved everything about him, and he will be missed.”

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said the inquiry is being carried out by the Military Air Accident Investigation Branch. She added: “The photograph has been passed to the inquiry team.”

[dutchman]

Rather than cancel the remaining display bookings, I would have thought it more appropriate to continue with them but flying in the so-called "missing man" formation as a tribute to the deceased pilot?