Accident involving Tucano ZF349 at RAF Linton-on-Ouse

On 8 January 2013, a Short Tucano T Mk1 (serial number ZF349), based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, was conducting a routine Partial Test Flight (PTF) following an engine change. The crew consisted of a highly experienced Handling Pilot (HP) and a student pilot acting as a Non-Handling Pilot (NHP) to scribe for the test. Approximately seven minutes into the flight, while the HP was transitioning the Engine Electronic Control (EEC) switch from 'Manual' to 'Normal', the aircraft suffered a total loss of thrust.

The HP immediately suspected an engine failure and, following the emergency procedures, selected the Emergency Shut Down Lever to 'Off/Feather'. Given the aircraft's proximity to the airfield and its altitude, the pilot opted for an Actual Forced Landing (AFL) on Runway 21 at RAF Scampton. During the descent, a critical decision-making window occurred regarding ejection. The inquiry later noted that the crew continued through the recommended ejection decision height without verbalising their intent to stay with the aircraft, though the outcome was ultimately successful.

The technical investigation, led by the Military Air Accident Investigation Branch (MilAAIB), focused on the engine's Fuel Control Unit (FCU). They discovered that a small component—the Torque Motor—had failed. The specific motor in ZF349 dated back to 1987. After 26 years of service, the epoxy resin within the motor had de-bonded due to age, leading to an internal electrical failure that prevented the FCU from metering fuel correctly. The inquiry highlighted a significant gap in the "ageing aircraft" management programme: this critical sub-component had no specified life metric or inspection regime, despite its fundamental link to airworthiness.

The HP executed a controlled emergency landing; however, the landing gear remained retracted, resulting in a "wheels-up" landing. The aircraft travelled approximately 3,700 feet along the runway before the pilot steered it onto the grass overrun to avoid hitting airfield obstacles. Both crew members exited the aircraft unassisted. The investigation concluded that while the crew's airmanship was exemplary in safely recovering the aircraft, the incident exposed systemic weaknesses in how the Ministry of Defence tracked the service life of small but "safety-critical" engine components across its older fleets.