Nimrod had "Fundamental Design Fault", Inquest Hears
The explosion which caused a Royal Air Force Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft to crash in Afghanistan in 2006 occurred because of a “fundamental design fault”, those present at a military inquest into the incident heard on May 13th.
Fuel Leak
The coroner involved in the inquest had previously been told that the explosion had happened when leaked fuel entered a dry bay, and caught fire when meeting with a hot air pipe.
Today, however, a senior figure from the RAF – Air Commodore George Baber - spoke of how an error was made during Nimrod checks carried out prior to the incident. Crucially, if this error had not taken place, the risk posed by the aircraft may have been established.
In hindsight, said Baber, the Nimrod would not have been cleared for flight.
Nimrod Risk Analysis
Baber headed an IPT (Integrated Project Team) which, in collaboration with BAE Systems, undertook a detailed Nimrod risk analysis.
In 2004, a meeting was held in which the hazards that had been picked up on were highlighted. During this meeting, said Baber, the chance of an explosion taking place in the bay was deemed “highly improbable.”
This rating, he stated today, was too low, and should have been acted on further.
The “design fault”, Baber explained, was the placement of the hot air pipe in the same area that fuel was kept.
"At the heart of this was a fundamental design flaw”, he said.
“This hazard assessment process was an opportunity to catch any inherent design flaw. We failed to catch that design flaw. The consequences were catastrophic and that is why we are here today."
Michael Rawlinson – representing the relatives of those killed in the incident - asked Bader whether the Nimrod could have been considered safe to be flown.
"I find it difficult to answer because the simple answer is 'no' because we had an accident”, Bader replied.
"Any aircraft we fly carry hazards all the time. Clearly if we knew then what we know now we would not have flown the aircraft."
Nimrod XV230 had taken on fuel in the air immediately prior to the explosion, which took place close to Kandahar on September 2nd, 2006.
The explosion caused the largest loss of life among the British armed forces from a single event since the Falklands Conflict 24 years previously.
The 14 British servicemen that died in the Nimrod were:
- Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson
- Flight Lieutenant Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore
- Flight Lieutenant Gareth Rodney Nicholas
- Flight Lieutenant Allan James Squires
- Flight Lieutenant Steven Swarbrick.
- Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews
- Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie
- Flight Sergeant Gerard Martin Bell
- Flight Sergeant Adrian Davies
- Sergeant Benjamin James Knight
- Sergeant John Joseph Langton
- Sergeant Gary Paul Quilliam
- Lance Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts
- Royal Marine Joseph David Windall
Armed Forces International will continue to provide coverage of the Nimrod inquest as more facts emerge.
Source – Armed Forces International’s Political Correspondent
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