The pilot aimed at open field. I checked what is there.
On Wednesday 23 September 2026 a RAF Hawk T2 from RAF Valley crashed on Anglesey near Pencarnisiog. A trainee and an instructor were aboard. Both ejected; both are expected to recover fully.
Before they left, the aircraft was pointed somewhere. Gp Capt Gez Currie, RAF Valley's station commander: aimed “in a direction that the pilot believed was open field, in order to avoid built-up areas and anybody on the ground.” (BBC, 24 September 2026)
I went to look at that ground.
Pencarnisiog geocodes to 53.2333, -4.4703; RAF Valley's postcode LL65 3NY to 53.2517, -4.5364. About 5 km apart straight line. My arithmetic, checkable on any map.
The tile here is centred on the village: pasture and arable in a patchwork, a tight cluster of houses, scattered farmsteads, a caravan site, one straight primary road across the south.
Open field was not a figure of speech. For kilometres it is the default surface of that island.
The RAF paused Hawk T1 and T2 flying as a precaution after the crash, and the Red Arrows were briefly grounded too. On 8 October 2026 BBC Wales reported RAF Valley saying the T2 would resume flying after a “thorough review of the information currently available and appropriate safety assurance activity” (Maria Cassidy, BBC News, bbc.com/news/articles/crvg6npqw9wdo). The investigation continues alongside normal flying. The cause is not established and I am not guessing.
Martin-Baker, whose seat is in the aircraft, lists the crew out on a GB10LH seat on 23 September 2026.
If I got something wrong, write: [email protected]. Whoever corrects me is named on the fix.
Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/53.2333,-4.4703
Corrected 15 October 2026: the first version said the pause was current. It is not any more; flying resumed at RAF Valley on 9 October (BBC, 8 October 2026), and the seat line was added.