What happened
On 26 September 2011, a Tornado GR4, registration ZA557, was conducting a medium to low-level training sortie as part of its return to UK operations following deployment on Operation ELLAMY. The aircraft, operated by II (AC) Sqn from RAF Marham, was flying through Low Flying Area 16 near the Scottish Borders.
At approximately 1135 hours, while the aircraft was passing south of the Kailzie Equestrian Centre, a horse in the riding school was startled by the sound of the low-flying jet. The sudden movement caused the rider to be unseated; the rider fell and struck a fence post before hitting the ground. The individual sustained serious injuries and was subsequently admitted to Borders General Hospital.
The crew of ZA557 continued their planned route through Northeast England, eventually landing at RAF Waddington later that day. The flight crew remained unaware that the low-level passage had caused an incident on the ground until a formal complaint was lodged with RAF Leuchars later that afternoon.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight planning, the aircraft's movements, and the personnel involved. It established that the sortie was intended as a training mission to maintain skills following the squadron's recent operational deployment. The crew had planned a route through several low-flying areas and had elected to increase their minimum separation distance from 250 feet to 500 feet to avoid potential conflict with other traffic.
Investigators reviewed the flight logs, meteorological briefings, and NOTAM checks performed by the crew. The inquiry also looked into the aircraft's technical status, noting that while the mission was routine, the aircraft's Video Recording System (VRS) had failed to operate during the sortie, though this had not been previously reported as unserviceable.
Findings
- The primary cause of the rider's injury was the horse being startled by the low-flying aircraft.
- The pilot and WSO elected to fly at a 500-foot minimum separation distance to deconflict with other traffic in the area.
- The aircraft was performing a routine training sortie involving medium to low-level transit.
- The crew followed established procedures for briefing, planning, and checking for late warnings prior to takeoff.