What happened
On 1 June 2003, a Hawker Hunter Mk 6A, registration G-BVVC, departed Blackpool for a flight plan that included a display in Northern Ireland and a return to Exeter. The aircraft had been operating with a known electrical issue, having taken off with one generator inoperative. During the flight, the second generator also failed, leading to a total loss of electrical power. The pilot did not become aware of the full extent of the failure until the aircraft was climbing through thick cloud.
While cruising at FL220, the pilot decided to descend to FL1180 to maintain visual conditions. Upon advancing the throttle to level off, the engine failed to respond, and the pilot identified an engine flameout. Attempts to relight the engine were unsuccessful due to the lack of electrical power for the igniters. Realising that the aircraft could not reach the nearest suitable airfield at Llanbedr, the pilot steered the aircraft toward a river estuary to avoid populated areas and ejected at 2,500 feet.
The pilot sustained serious spinal injuries during the ejection process and landed in very shallow water in the River Dyfi estuary. The abandoned aircraft subsequently crashed into marshland.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the wreckage and the engine, finding no evidence of mechanical failure, fire, or foreign object ingestion prior to the impact. The investigation focused on the sequence of electrical failures and the circumstances leading to the engine flameout. Investigators noted that the aircraft's batteries were depleted because the pilot had not yet shed non-essential electrical loads when the second generator failed.
Regarding the ejection, the investigation looked at the pilot's use of the seat-pan handle rather than the face-screen handle, as well as the physical impact of landing in shallow water. It was also noted that the pilot had to manually release himself from the seat harness after the parachute had deployed, as the automatic release mechanism appeared to have failed.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a total electrical failure following the loss of both generators.
- The engine flameout was likely caused by temporary fuel starvation resulting from a change in throttle setting while the fuel supply was at abnormally low pressure.
- The pilot was unable to relight the engine because the electrical failure prevented the use of the igniters.
- The pilot's spinal injuries were likely caused by the high acceleration of the ejection seat and were potentially aggravated by the heavy landing in shallow water.
- The pilot's decision to eject over the estuary was a deliberate effort to avoid hitting people or property.