THE cockpit recording from an RAF Nimrod spy plane moments before it exploded in the sky over Afghanistan was played yesterday to the families of the 14 men killed in the tragedy.
The audio recording ended at 11:15am on 2 September, 2006, about two minutes before Nimrod XV230, which had been based at RAF Kinloss in Moray, blew up.
The blast happened minutes after the plane underwent air-to-air refuelling near Kandahar. An
inquest at Oxford has heard the tragedy was caused by fuel leaking into a dry bay and igniting on contact with a hot air pipe.
The crew had no means of tackling the initial fire and so were forced to attempt an emergency descent to Kandahar air base, but at 3,000ft, the aircraft exploded.
The recording shows the conversation between crew members was calm and professional in its tone, despite the increasing seriousness of the situation.
The first section details the crew's communications about the refuelling procedure.
Moments after an engineer tells Flt Lt Allan Squires, the captain, at 11:11am (GMT) "yeah, we're full", an onboard fire alarm sounds, and the engineer says: "I have a bomb bay fire warning."
Flt Lt Squires is then heard to say: "Crew, captain – we have a bomb bay fire warning indication."
An electronic support measures officer says: "It's in the rear bay, there's smoke coming from it … Rear bay… smoke coming…"
An engineer responds: "Yeah, I have an under-, er, an over-heated SCP (supplementary conditioning pack], which could be the cause."
The SCP – a modification designed to counter added heating effects caused by equipment on the plane – is thought to have caused the fire.
At 11:12am a crew member says: "We have smoke coming from the aileron bay and we've just had a lot more smoke coming from the aileron bay."
The captain announces seconds later that the craft has been depressurised and gives the order to steer towards Kandahar for an emergency landing.
At 11:13, the onboard audio goes as follows: Air electronics officer (AEO): "Report from the bay". Bay: "Fire in the bay, fire in the bay". AEO: "Fire in the bay."
Captain: "Roger, descending."
A mayday message is then sent and repeated several times in the minutes that follow.
At 11:15, AEO says: "Further flames in the bay." Engineer, reporting having used a fire extinguisher, says: "Roger, further ten sec burst into the bay, report complete."
Captain: "Just look at the runway direction for me please."
Co-pilot: "East west."
Captain: "See if you can get the weather, the wind for me please."
Engineer: "Second burst gone, there's more smoke coming up from the back at the back."
Answer: "Roger"
Captain: (corrupt speech)
Crew member: "Further report from the bay."
Answer: "From the bay, there's more sm(smoke]…"
The tape then ends abruptly, and the stricken plane explodes two minutes later.
The full article contains 490 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
