What happened
During a scheduled training mission departing from RAF Debden, the crew encountered difficulties while approaching RAF Roborough under marginal weather conditions. While on short final approach, the pilot identified a significant error in the heading settings, which had deviated by 20 degrees from the intended path.
Upon realizing that the aircraft was not properly aligned with the runway, the pilot attempted an immediate correction to steer clear of an ambulance parked near the airfield. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a boundary fence and came to a stop. The impact resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair. Both members of the flight crew sustained slight injuries during the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted that the flying crew utilized an incorrect approach configuration. Additional observations noted that the infrastructure at RAF Roborough presented operational challenges, specifically regarding its limited accessibility, inadequate equipment, and a runway length that is considered insufficient for certain operations.