Second Red Arrows pilot made emergency landing before fatal crash

Red Arrows Hawk aircraft grounded at Bournemouth Airport - PA

A colleague of the Red Arrows pilot who was killed on Saturday had been forced to make an emergency landing just days before the fatal crash following a bird strike.

Pilot, Ben Plank, had a lucky escape after a bird hit he engine of his Hawk T1 in the skies above Blackpool.

He was flying to Hawarden Airport in Cheshire shortly after taking part in a display at the Blackpool Air Show when his aircraft collided with the bird.

Onlooker Stuart Briggs, who was at the Blackpool Air Show, told the Telegraph: "I saw the plane coming back in a southerly direction towards the airfield. The plane was trailing white smoke which was different to the normal density and going at a much reduced speed. You could actually smell the unburnt fuel as it went past. We heard the crash alarm going off at the air field and saw the emergency vehicles rushing to meet the plane. "

It is believed that a bird could have behind the mechanical failure which caused the fatal crash of Flt Lt Jon Egging at the Bournemouth Air Show on Saturday. This is the first time the aerobatic team has suffered a fatality during a public display.

The RAF's 100-strong fleet of Hawk T1s, including the acrobatic display team, has been grounded while the crash is investigated by the Ministry of Defence.

Related Article
Red Arrows plane crashes at Bournemouth Airport