What happened
On the afternoon of the incident, an XV230 Nimrod MR2 departed on a mission to support coalition operations in Afghanistan. At 15:30, the aircraft successfully completed a ten-minute air-to-air refueling operation with an RAF Lockheed TriStar tanker. Shortly after the refueling was completed and the crew began preparing to head east toward their operational area, the aircraft experienced multiple system warnings.
An initial warning regarding a fire in the bomb bay was reported, which was followed closely by smoke warnings originating from the elevator bay underfloor area. The crew noted smoke entering the cabin from both the aileron and elevator bays. This was followed by a rapid depressurization of the aircraft as the fire compromised the pressure hull, forcing the crew to utilize oxygen masks.
As the pilot initiated an emergency descent and declared a MAYDAY while turning toward Kandahar, reports of fire intensified. Crew members identified flames originating from the rear of the starboard engines and within the aileron bay. At approximately 15:46, the aircraft made its final radio contact while acknowledging weather conditions for landing at Kandahar.
During this period, a nearby Harrier GR7 pilot observed an intense fire spreading along the starboard fuselage, specifically between the wing-to-fuselage junction and the starboard engine, along with a second fire trailing behind the aircraft. At 15:47, the pilot witnessed the Nimrod MR2 break into four distinct sections at an altitude of approximately 750 to 1000 feet. The accident resulted in 14 fatalities.
Findings
Reports from the crew and nearby aircraft indicated that a fire breached the aircraft's pressure hull, leading to rapid depressurization and the eventual structural failure of the airframe.