Accident Overview
On the day of the accident, three Hercules aircraft from 70th Squadron, RAF Lyneham, were conducting formation and low-level navigation training over Scotland. The aircraft with call sign 'Star trek 3' was one of the three. After completing the formation element, the aircraft separated for individual exercises.
Sequence of Events
For the crew of XV193, the exercise included a simulated drop of a small cargo pack onto a dummy drop zone in Glen Tilt, a valley eight miles north of Pitlochry. After finishing the simulated drop and turning north to leave the area, a rocky outcrop forced the crew to continue the left turn. Upon avoiding this obstacle, the crew elected to reverse their turn to enter the narrow valley of Glen Loch and regain the original route. During this low-level, low-speed manoeuvre, the aircraft stalled and crashed forcefully into the moorland in Glen Loch, east of Glen Tilt, near Loch Loch.
Crew
All nine crew members were killed. They were from 70th Squadron at RAF Lyneham: Squadron Leader Graham Paul Young, Squadron Leader Stanley Duncan Muir, Flight Lieutenant Graham Robert John Southard, Flight Lieutenant Stephen Paul McNally, Flying Officer Jonathan Huw Owen, Master Aircrew Terence John William Gilmore, Sergeant Craig Thomas Hilliard, Sergeant Alan Keith King, and Lance Corporal Gary Reginald Manning.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The Board of Inquiry found that there were no eyewitnesses to the final moments, and the aircraft was not equipped with an Accident Data Recorder or Cockpit Voice Recorder. The investigation therefore remains conjecture; however, specialist advice from sources including the Air Accident Investigation Branch of the Department of Transport and the aircraft manufacturer supports the findings. The probable cause is consistent with the aircraft having stalled at an altitude from which recovery was impossible.