What happened
On 22 August 2015, a Hawker Hunter T7, registration G-BXFI, was performing at the Royal Air Forces Association airshow at Shoreham Airport in West Sussex. The aircraft, operated for a private flight, was executing a series of aerobatic manoeuvres along the coast. Following a period of flight that included an inverted section, the pilot entered a climbing right turn, which transitioned into a left-hand Derry turn.
During the sequence, the aircraft pitched up into a manoeuvre involving both a vertical component and a left roll, reaching an apex where it was nearly fully inverted at approximately 2,600 ft amsl. As the aircraft descended, it accelerated with the nose raised. Before the aircraft could recover to level flight, it struck the westbound carriageway of the A2 to 7 near the junction with Old Shoreham Road. The impact involved vehicles and pedestrians, resulting in 11 fatalities and 1 serious injury to the pilot.
The investigation
Initial investigations by the AAIB involved analyzing radar data from Pease Pottage, cockpit imagery, and various video recordings of the event. The aircraft was not equipped with a flight recorder, but cockpit cameras provided footage of the pilot and instrument panel. Preliminary analysis of this footage suggests the aircraft's minimum airspeed was approximately 100 KIAS while inverted at the top of the manoeuvre.
Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the daily inspection had been completed the previous day and no defects were recorded. The aircraft had been fully refuelled prior to the flight. The investigation also looked into the aircraft's impact sequence, noting that the canopy was released and the pilot and ejection seat were thrown clear from the cockpit during the crash. The wreckage broke into four main sections upon impact, and a fire occurred due to the release of fuel and vapours.
Findings
- The aircraft struck the A27 in a nose-high attitude.
- The aircraft was performing a high-performance manoeuvre with a vertical and rolling component.
- The aircraft failed to achieve level flight following the manoeuvre before impacting the ground.
- The impact caused the release of fuel, leading to an immediate fire at the crash site.