Martin Baker to be Prosecuted over Red Arrows death..

Just saw this on my morning trawlings..

Flt Lt Sean Cunningham was killed after being accidentally ejected from his Hawk T1. Last year a coroner described an ejection seat that threw the pilot to his death as “entirely useless”. The Type 10B1 Mk1 ejection seat fitted to his Hawk was accidentally activated while the aircraft was still on the ground, the main parachute system then failed to deploy properly and Cunnigham remained attached to the seat. The company subsequently promised that lessons have been learned from a fatal accident that claimed the life of a UK Royal Air Force Red Arrows display team pilot after a coroner was sharply critical of the company.

With MB withdrawing its support of older seats a while ago it has been making life hard for operators of older jets in the world..One is Temoras CAC Sabre that has been down since last year due to rocket cartridge issues..
Going back to the prosecution it seems to be on a OHS ruling under section 3.

Martin Baker Aircraft Company Ltd will appear at Lincoln Magistrates Court, date to be confirmed, to face a Section 3 Charge under the Health and Safety of Work Act. According to the HSE, the alleged breach is Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.”

As they should be. They advertise the seat as being zero/zero. He should have survived that ejection regardless of how he was ejected.

Yes but was it manufacturer design fault or maintainer error?

a reply to: Blackfinger

Martin Baker has their own MRO for ejection seats. So if they were contracted to do the seat maintenance, then their screwed coming and going.

Looks like some digging into the Red arrows paperwork to see where all the maintenance was done..Its strange how all the thousands of lives they have saved MB gets pinged on one that doesnt..If its a known design flaw that hasnt been acted upon or a part that has been overlooked due to be it out of tolerance or fatigued out in between checks then thats what will have to be acted on.

When I worked F-4s at Nellis in the 70s, I often heard the phrase "Meet your maker in a Martin - Baker". Very sad to see that they still have that reputation.

a reply to: vinomech
Didn't they also used to say 'if it says GE on the engine it better say MB on the seat...' ?

Pleaded guilty..

Martin-Baker Aircraft Ltd pleaded guilty at Lincoln Crown Court to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Red Arrows death

a reply to: Blackfinger

One is Temoras CAC Sabre that has been down since last year due to rocket cartridge issues..

Now that certainly sucks. The worlds only currently flying Avon powered Sabre grounded because of an ejection cartridge issue. I'm sure David Lowy is working on it.

Worked on that Aircraft last year installing a few mod’s....it’s weird how some aircraft have different “feels” to them...this one just feel cold!!! Did not like being in the cockpit installing the new cables etc etc...Could be due to the fact that normally if a pilot dies the aircraft dies with him..not many survive the loss of its crew..and the Red’s nicknamed 177 “the death jet” and did not like flying it!!! RIP to the pilot...