RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment

Introduction

On a mission over Afghanistan, RAF Nimrod XV230 endured an uncontrollable and calamitous mid-air fire in an inaccessible part of the plane that leaked the fire protection. The incident took place in September 2006. The team had no possibility of fighting the fire, which results in the break-up of airframe just moments before they possibly make an emergency landing at the nearer airbase. Every one of the 14 staff members were killed on the spot. A Royal Canadian Dragoons squadron in the surrounding area secured the region to preserve the accident scene. Later they were calmed by thirty-four Squadron RAF Regiment. They devised a workable plan to recoup forms, information recorder and pictures of the accident site. They were reserved via air after some hundred nearby nationals including the members of the Taliban had focalized on the zone (Haddon-Cave, 2009, pp. 163-181).

A leading body of enquiry was framed to lead a seven month examination to verify the most practical reasons of the accident. The range destined to be the origin of explosion was thought to be the elevated temperature Supplementary Conditioning Pack/ Cross-Feed pipe placed in the starboard No. 7 Tank dry bay. The resource of fuel was thought to be originated from a leakage in an aerial refuelling transaction that happened just minutes before the blaze. It is believed that a leak has occurred during refuelling, and the fuel accumulated in the bay, where the fire started. This fire in the bay was reported by the pilot via radio and even decided to return to Kandahar. A Harrier was sent to escort the Nimrod. About 25 miles before landing in Kandahar, the pilot saw a Harrier wings exploding. Shortly seconds later came the whole plane into a ball of fire (Haddon-Cave, 2009, pp. 189-201).

Discussion

The operation that involved the accident aircraft was concentrated in a district west of Kandahar, in a region adjacent to the province where British troops are settled. The Nimrod aircraft was designed for detection operations and rescue and ASW. It is equipped with radar and detection systems and has specialized personnel and electronic signals. These RAF Nimrod aircraft and their crews are, for example, essential in the detection and rescue operations in hilly fishing in British waters. The Nimrod has a long range, can detect ships at sea and from the air coordinating the rescue operation (Haddon-Cave, 2009, pp. 239-251).

The accident took place in the beginning of September 2006, when reconnaissance aircraft Nimrod NR2, which took part in the military operation in Afghanistan, exploded after refuelling in the air and crashed 20 kilometres from the city of Kandahar. The victims of the crash were 14 British soldiers, among who was Ben Knight. These losses were the largest one-time losses for British forces since the Falklands war. Immediately after the disaster NATO officials have said that the accident occurred due to a technical malfunction, not as a result of shelling by the enemy. Now we know what it was for the ...