What happened
During a takeoff maneuver from Sharjah, Oman, the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod (identified by the serial number XP822) sustained severe structural damage. During the ascent, the tail of the aircraft made contact with vegetation, resulting in significant impact. This collision caused the starboard elevator to be torn away, inflicting damage categorized as Category 4 or 5.
Following the incident, the airframe was transported back to the United Kingdom via HS Andover XS642. The wreckage was initially held at 70 Aircraft Workshops, REME, Middle Wallop, throughout 1970 and 1971. It was subsequently moved to Hawker Siddeley Aircraft (HAS) in Hawden, Chester, with the intention of performing a rebuild. However, the repair process was not completed, and the aircraft was officially struck off charge on 04-Mar-1971.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was the tail striking bushes during the takeoff phase.
- The impact resulted in the loss of the starboard elevator.
- The airframe was ultimately used to create a composite aircraft by integrating components with XP815, which had crashed previously on 09-Sep-1962. This reconstructed unit was later identified as XP822 using the serial plate from the former aircraft.