The 1994 Scotland RAF Chinook crash

[NelsonL1995]

"The 1994 Scotland RAF Chinook crash occurred on 2 June 1994 at about 18:00 hours when a Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook helicopter (serial number ZD576, callsign F4J40) crashed on the Mull of Kintyre, Scotland, killing all twenty-nine people on board (twenty-five passengers and four crew). Among the passengers were almost all the United Kingdom (UK)'s senior Northern Ireland intelligence experts."

I got the bit above from wikipedia.

I wasn't even alive when it happened but it has been on the news recently so I thought I would look it up.

"New evidence shows the Ministry of Defence withheld potentially crucial information about computer software problems from Air Chief Marshal Sir William Wratten and Air Marshal Sir John Day who overruled the verdict of an RAF board of inquiry" The Guardian.

They said the pilots where to blame and I am still not sure if they have been cleared.


Post what you know about this topic. I just want to know what you all know.
Was that the crash that stopped anything growing or somthing? Im not sure..

Tell me

[NelsonL1995]

C'mon..

Sombody must know somthing about this?
It was on 1994..

[LANDROVER ROGER]

I do not think you will find any more information than that which you have already gleaned from Wikipedia.

[numberplease]

Nelson, have you been down to the memorial cairn? I didn`t make it, but my husband did, and took some video for me. I can remember it being all over the news when it happened, but I think, as Roger says, all the information yopu need will be on places like Wilkipedia, unless you can get in touch with any relatives.

[Ags]

NelsonL - I caught the end of something on channel4 news a couple of weeks ago and meant to check their website to get the full story of what I missed....maybe you could try that! I haven't found the time to do it yet.
I have a book called "out of the shadows" by Susan Phoenix whose husband died on board the chinook. I liked the look of the cover and picked it up while browsing in a bookshop before realising it had "local" connections. Its quite spiritual and wouldn't be everybodies cup of tea (my mother HATED it!), but you are more than welcome to borrow it. The author states quite strongly that the pilots were unfairly made scapegoats when there was insufficient evidence to allocate blame or determine what happened I have always meant to go back down to the memorial cairn since reading the book and haven't done so yet. Maybe I will over the holidays.

[rainbowsprite]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1994/jun/03/northernireland.military

This link might give you some information.

I was still in school at the time of the crash and remember there was alot of reporters in town. I used to baby sit out at the base, on the night after the crash I was baby sitting for a fire fighter as he had to attend the incident. Reporters were randomly knocking on doors trying to get the story from people who had been down at the crash site.

[jdcarra]

C'mon..

Sombody must know somthing about this?
It was on 1994..

NelsonL
I remember it well and have been to the site on many occasions, but it was a terrible disaster then and many folk may not wish to be reminded or to discuss it.

For your own reference check out http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NR5908.

[blueboyno1]

A friend of mine from Tarbert was in the fire brigade at the time and was one of the emergency services who attended the crash. He told me it was horrendous ,but would not discuss details ,quite rightly so.

[History]

If it's personal accounts you are looking for I'm sure you'll find many locally. Most of the emergency services were there that night.

On the way down to the incident the mist was so thick that it was difficult to see much ahead of you. It would be inappropriate to post on here the scene that met them as I am sure you will understand.......but one amazing sight remote from the incident was to stand on the Mull head and shoulders above the mist and looking out over the sea and boats sailing by and the tragedy shrouded in mist like a carpet at your feet. A scene that will stay with many who attended that night.

Lots of stories NelsonL from local folk who witnessed the results of the tragedy first hand. Everyone handles events like that differently so you may find some want to discuss it and some who don't. You can always ask. They can only say yes or no.

The incident affected everyone in a different way and the councilling sessions after the incident encouraged personel to speak about how it affected them.

About a year ago in the paper shop the parents of one of the pilots said that they were encouraged and moved by the way the local people had not forgotton what happened that night.

History

[four eyes]

It crashed not far from a telephone mast,maybe this and the dodgy software combined to the crash.then again maybe the pilot thought he was further east than he was and was about to fly up a glen rather than into the hill.He was too low for sure,my guess is a combination of software error and interferance from the mast or on board telecommunications.Then again we know for sure pilot error causes a lot of civillian air crashes.perhaps they were just unlucky!
whatever it was a terrible thing for all involved.God rest their souls.

[sconeface]

I would say that the information "History" has given you is the most informative