Overview
- An RAF Hawk T2 crashed shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, and both crew members ejected before the aircraft hit the ground and are receiving treatment for injuries described as minor.
- Emergency services declared a major incident, brought the post‑impact fire under control and asked the public to avoid the Pencarnisiog area while the crash site was secured.
- Video and multiple eyewitnesses recorded flames and violent pitch‑ups before the pilots ejected and parachuted to the ground, and wreckage fell close to homes and a nearby caravan park though no wider public injuries have been confirmed.
- The Royal Air Force has opened a formal investigation and has temporarily paused Hawk T1 and T2 flying as a precaution while investigators examine the cause of the failure.
- The crash renews focus on a history of Hawk T2 engine and availability problems that led to earlier groundings and has accelerated the Ministry of Defence’s hunt for a replacement trainer because interruptions at RAF Valley affect the pipeline for Typhoon and F‑35 pilot training.