The RAF Hawk crash near Pencarnisiog on Anglesey has left two pilots with minor injuries after they ejected from the aircraft moments before it hit the ground. The Royal Air Force said both pilots are doing well and are expected to make a full recovery.
The Hawk T2 aircraft had been operating from RAF Valley on Wednesday when it plummeted to the ground in the nearby Pencarnisiog area. Video footage shared on social media appeared to show both pilots ejecting from the aircraft before it nosedived and crashed in flames.
RAF Hawk Crash Prompts Temporary Flight Pause
The RAF has temporarily suspended Hawk flying operations as a precaution while a formal investigation into the RAF Hawk crash gets under way. The restriction affects both Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 aircraft.
The RAF confirmed that the two pilots were treated for minor injuries following the incident. In a statement, the service said they were “doing well” and were in “extremely good spirits”, adding that they were expected to make a full recovery.
The footage of the Pencarnisiog plane crash appeared to show a large plume of smoke and fire rising as the aircraft struck the ground. The aircraft appeared to narrowly miss nearby homes during the crash.
The RAF said the formal investigation would examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. Flying operations involving the Hawk aircraft have been paused while that work continues, although no date has been given for when the restriction will be lifted.
Hawk T2 Crash Also Affects Red Arrows
The temporary suspension also includes the Red Arrows because the aerobatics display team operates the Hawk T1. The team, which is based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, had not been scheduled to fly again until the Le Touquet Airshow in France this weekend.
The Hawk T1 and newer Hawk T2 are transonic, two-seat training aircraft used to prepare fast jet pilots. The aircraft play an important role in the training system at RAF Valley, where fighter pilots receive instruction before moving on to other stages of their careers.
The RAF Hawk crash therefore comes as investigators begin examining an incident involving an aircraft type used extensively for military training. The RAF has not said how long the precautionary pause will remain in place.
RAF Valley Has Long Training History
RAF Valley is a major training base on Anglesey. Fighter pilots are trained there, while aircrew also receive instruction for mountain and maritime operations, and the station is home to the Mountain Rescue Service.
The Ministry of Defence describes No 4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley as responsible for training the “next generation of world-class fighter pilots”. The station opened in February 1941 and became a staging post for US aircraft supporting the war effort from 1943.
The base has also had a connection with the Prince of Wales, who served as an RAF search and rescue pilot at the Holyhead base between 2010 and 2013. He lived on Anglesey with the Princess of Wales during their early years of marriage.
The Prince of Wales returned to RAF Valley in April to mark its 85th anniversary and spoke about his “fond memories” of the base.
The latest Anglesey aircraft crash has drawn attention to the safety of the training flights operated from the station, although the RAF has not yet released details about what caused the Hawk T2 to crash.
A publicly funded airport service also previously operated between Anglesey and Cardiff from 2007 until 2020, although it was separate from the military operations at RAF Valley.