Yeah.....

'1 or 2' because each incident is given a 'status level' as it happens or being anticipated.....

For example, at Bruggen working on the edge of the air field ( i was ground radio/ nav aids/ radar/ air traffic equip) the station would frequently announce an incoming aircraft and its expected 'crash state'. A 'crash state 2' would normally be quite uneventful - an electronics or fuel problem, something that didnt affect the flight worthyness, so we mostly ignored those...... Distinctly remember one announcement of a 'crash state 1' - beautiful warm sunny summers day, around lunchtime, tannoy said'crash state 1, harrier gr2, from gutersloh, failed nose wheel' - so we all went to watch....

It did lots of circuits to burn fuel, whilst the fire engines covered the runway with foam - after 20mins it tried to land conventionally with no nose wheel... It hit the ground but instead of skidding to a rest it went sideways, hit the grass then the nose dug in and it flipped over but landed the right way up.... Loads of smoke/steam coming from it and you could see the pilot struggling to get out...... Loads of 17 Sqn lads ran over to help, as soon as a flame came from an engine they all ran back!! But the pilot got out fine and was ok - ?3m write off though!!

Posted By: Cheltenham_Canary, Feb 4, 09:07:51