Porthcawl mid-air collision

Porthcawl mid-air collision

Left to right, top to bottom: Katie-Jo Davies, Nikkita Marie Walters, Hylton Price, Andrew Marsh
Accident summary
Date	11 February 2009
Type	Mid-air collision
Site	Porthcawl, Wales
Total injuries	0
Total fatalities	4 (all)
Total survivors	0
First aircraft
Type	Grob Tutor
Operator	Royal Air Force
Tail number	G-BYUT
Flight origin	MOD St Athan
Destination	Kenfig
Passengers	1
Crew	1
Injuries	0
Fatalities	2 (all)
Survivors	0
Second aircraft
Type	Grob Tutor
Operator	Royal Air Force
Tail number	G-BYVN
Flight origin	MOD St Athan
Destination	Margam
Passengers	1
Crew	1
Injuries	0
Fatalities	2
Survivors	0

The Porthcawl mid-air collision occurred just before 11 am on 11 February 2009 when two Royal Air Force single-engine propeller aircraft collided close to the town of Porthcawl in South Wales.^[1] The Grob Tutor aircraft were from an Air Experience Flight based at MOD St Athan, which gives flying training to RAF Air Cadets.^[2]

Incident

The two Tutor training planes clipped wings in midair at around 5,000ft, and it was reported that one individual was seen to jump out of one of the aircraft. Wreckage from the two aircraft came down in clear weather less than a mile from the M4 motorway and a mainline railway line. The Grob planes had been involved in 20-minute "air experience" flights from RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan.^[3]

One eyewitness told the Daily Telegraph that she observed the aircraft before the aircraft collided. "I just couldn't believe it. At first there wasn't an explosion straight away but then there was. They just went down." A pub landlord in Porthcawl added "what people are saying is that there was a loud bang and they saw one aeroplane spinning to the ground but there are two aeroplanes involved. The fire brigade extinguished some of the flames and the other plane carried on for another mile and came down towards Margam."^[4]

It was reported that debris from the two aircraft came down, nearly hitting staff from the Kenfig Nature Reserve, who were working just below where the accident occurred. It was widely reported that at least one of the two aircraft was on fire after it hit the ground, and over 90 firefighters arrived at the scene following the accident.^[5]

Casualties

Two flying instructors from 1 Air Experience Flight along with two female air cadets from 1004 SQN (Pontypridd), who were cousins, died in the collision.^[6][7]

The cousins who were on an Air Experience Flight (AEF) were:

• Cadet Nikkita Marie Walters – aged 13
• Cadet Katie-Jo Davies – aged 14

The two RAF personnel were:

• Flying Officer Hylton Price RAFVR (ex-regular RAF Wing Commander) – aged 63
• Flight Lieutenant Andrew Marsh RAF – aged 24

Investigation

An investigation was carried out into the causes of the accident. It highlighted visibility problems with the aircraft involved and recommended that all Grob Tutor aircraft operated by the RAF be fitted with collision avoidance systems. It was further recommended that visibility from aircraft cockpits be a consideration in future aircraft purchases.^[8]

References

1. ^ "Four die in mid-air plane crash". BBC. 11 February 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7883338.stm. Retrieved 28 March 2009. 
2. ^ "Four die in mid-air collision in Britain". iol. 11 February 2009. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=24&art_id=nw20090211210614500C706829. Retrieved 13 February 2009. 
3. ^ "Two feared dead as RAF investigate mid-air collision between light aircraft". The Daily Telegraph (London). 11 February 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/4590711/Two-feared-dead-as-RAF-investigate-mid-air-collision-between-light-aircraft.html. 
4. ^ "Mid-Air Plane Collision In Wales: Two Air Cadets And Two RAF Instructors Killed , UK News , Sky News". News.sky.com. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Mid-Air-Plane-Collision-In-Wales-Two-Air-Cadets-And-Two-RAF-Instructors-Killed/Article/200902215220876?lpos=UK_News_Article_Related_Content_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_15220876_Mid-Air_Plane_Collision_In_Wales%3A_Two_Air_Cadets_And_Two_RAF_Instructors_Killed. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
5. ^ Harding, Thomas (11 February 2009). "Four RAF personnel killed in mid-air training crash over Wales". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/4592754/Four-RAF-personnel-killed-in-mid-air-training-crash-over-Wales.html. 
6. ^ Williams, Rachel (12 February 2009). "Police name teenage cousins killed in mid-air plane crash". The Guardian (UK). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/feb/12/teenagers-plane-crash-south-wales. Retrieved 19 February 2009. 
7. ^ "Ministry of Defence , About Defence , Corporate Publications , Boards of Inquiry and Service Inquiries , Service Inquiry investigating the accident to Tutor Aircraft G-BYUT and G-BYVN". Mod.uk. 20 February 2007. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/BoardsOfInquiry/ServiceInquiryInvestigatingTheAccidentToTutorAircraftGbyutAndGbyvn.htm. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
8. ^ "Pilots in Welsh air crash 'did not see each other'". BBC News Online. 7 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8444562.stm. Retrieved 7 January 2009.