One of the BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft from the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic display team has crashed, killing its pilot, while performing a routine in the southern UK.
The team was displaying at the Bournemouth Air Festival when the incident occurred on 20 August.
Nine Hawks are normally used during the Red Arrows display. The UK Ministry of Defence subsequently confirmed the death of Flt Lt Jon Egging, the pilot of aircraft Red 4. On his first year with the team, Egging had previously flown the BAE Harrier GR9 for the RAF's 4 Sqn, including in Afghanistan.
Video footage purporting to have been taken of the accident shows the formation splitting with three aircraft peeling to the right, one of which then appears to lose altitude.
The MoD has initiated a full service inquiry into the details of the crash.
Bournemouth airport's operator said the accident occurred about 1.5km from the facility, closing it for a short time, although operations have since resumed.
The organisers of the Bournemouth Air Festival have announced that the Red Arrows will not participate in the event on 21 August, but that other RAF aircraft will take part.
Source: Flight International
