An RAF jet that crashed and erupted into flames close to a caravan park was allegedly flown without a fuel cap.
The Hawk T2 reportedly took to the skies from RAF Valley in north Wales last month for its first test flight following repairs, but encountered problems only moments after departure.
The aircraft began moving erratically before its two pilots ejected. It then plunged towards the ground, striking nose-first and triggering a huge fireball.
Wreckage from the £20million training jet was scattered across a field at Afallon Caravan Park near Rhosneigr, on Anglesey.
The alleged absence of the fuel cap is understood to be a major focus of the investigation into the Hawk T2 crash.
Responsibility for fitting and checking the cap rested with the ground crew.
The Hawk T2 reportedly encountered problems on its first test flight after repairs, moments after taking off from RAF Valley in north Wales last month (Stock image taken in 2019)
The aircraft’s fuel tank is pictured
A massive fireball followed the RAF jet’s crash near the Anglesey village of Rhosneigr
A source told The Sun that valves in the jet’s fuel inlets should have prevented fuel from escaping, but described the missing component as a “pretty poor indicator of standards” that could point to broader issues.
The source said investigators identified the missing fuel cap as one of their early findings following the crash.
Another source said aviation safety procedures should have prevented the aircraft from departing without the cap, adding that investigators would need to establish whether the mistake was an isolated incident or a sign of wider concerns.
The missing component is understood to have belonged to a gravity-fed fuel inlet, separate from the primary high-pressure fuel intake located beneath the fuselage.
However, investigators have not established whether the absent fuel cap played any role in causing the accident.
Witnesses said the Hawk T2 was trailing flames along the runway during the test flight before the crash.
The two pilots, who are understood to have been training with No 4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley, parachuted to safety and sustained minor injuries.
Group Captain Gez Currie, the station commander, said the aircraft had been directed away from populated areas to reduce the danger to people on the ground.
“The aircraft would have been aimed in a direction that the pilot believed was open field, in order to avoid built-up areas and anybody on the ground,” he said.
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Dramatic footage captured the moment both pilots ejected from the stricken aircraft
Both pilots escaped safely after the Hawk T2 training jet crashed shortly after take-off
The entire Hawk fleet was grounded after the crash but resumed earlier this month.
RAF Valley, where Prince William was once stationed as a search-and-rescue pilot flying Sea King helicopters, is home to the air force’s No4 Flying Training School and is responsible for training Britain’s next generation of fighter pilots.
Local farmer Richard Owen, who owns Afallon Caravan Park, described his dramatic near miss with the wrecked plane.
The 88-year-old said he was in the kitchen when the initial bang rang out, but at first he ‘didn’t think much about it’.
He said: ‘We are on the flight path and there are planes overhead every day. We’re just a couple of miles from the runway.
‘But then I heard a second bang and I saw the fire and flames. It landed just on the other side of the park.
‘I went out to take a look. There were little bits of wreckage all around the site. The tail section must have blown off and landed next to one of the caravans.
‘There was lots of smoke, thick black smoke. I didn’t dare to go too close. I was worried about it exploding.’
Mr Owen said he was thankful most of his 30 caravans were empty, and that the vehicles were largely unscathed.
The Hawk T2 is built by BAE Systems and has been used to train British pilots since 2009.
It is described by the RAF as a ‘high-performance, two-seat training jet’ designed to ‘simulate front-line combat aircraft like the Typhoon’.
It is used in training to prepare pilots for complex tactical environments.
The entire fleet was briefly grounded in January 2023 amid concerns after a blade failed during an incident on the runway at RAF Valley.
They were allowed to resume operating the following month.
An RAF spokesman said: ‘The Defence Accident Investigation Branch is currently investigating the incident involving a Hawk T2 aircraft crash, which occurred in Anglesey on 23 September 2026.
‘It would be inappropriate to comment further while this investigation is ongoing.’
