INQUIRY FINDS DECADES-OLD DEBRIS LIKELY CAUSED FATAL SPITFIRE CRASH

An official inquiry has concluded that debris left inside a Spitfire for decades very likely caused the crash that killed Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Mark Long. Long died when his aircraft came down near RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on 25 May 2024, during a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight assignment. The report, published by the Defence Safety Authority, states the crash happened at 1.16pm during take-off, as Long set off to carry out a series of flypasts and an aerial display. The aircraft involved was Supermarine Spitfire MK356, built in early 1944 at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory in Birmingham and previously owned by the Morris Motors Company.

The inquiry panel said engine performance data and witness statements were consistent with fuel starvation, and found it was "very likely" that debris in the carburettor had partially blocked the lean metering jet. This, the panel said, reduced fuel flow, created an overly lean mixture, cut engine power and reduced thrust to the point where the aircraft could not maintain safe flight. Chemical analysis of the material found it had been present inside the engine "for decades", according to the findings. The panel described the blockage as the likely causal factor preventing the engine from producing the thrust needed to stay airborne.

Investigators also examined the harness and pilot restraint systems, which they said were "critical" to the pilot's chances of survival, and found these were very likely an aggravating factor in the outcome. The report recommended that design changes and modifications be considered to improve survivability in future incidents. In a statement issued through the Ministry of Defence, Long's family said he had lived with "an unwavering passion" for flying, alongside laughter, love and dedication to his family. The Defence Safety Authority said the report was intended to inform the military chain of command and the public of the inquiry's findings and its recommendations for improving defence safety.