The Nimrod Review - Official Documents

The Nimrod Review
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7. The Cross-Feed/SCP duct system represented a clear breach of good design standards and was
contrary to design regulations applicable at the time. In particular, the SCP adjunct to the Cross-
Feed duct was a manifest breach of the standards of Aviation Publication (AvP) 970. 4 This appears
not to have been appreciated at the time.
Primary physical cause
8. The Cross-Feed/SCP duct represented a fundamental flaw in the design of Nimrod aircraft and was
the primary physical cause of the accident.
Responsibility
9. Hawker Siddeley 5 was responsible for the original Cross-Feed duct design in the MR1 and R1. British
Aerospace 6 was responsible for the subsequent addition of the SCP duct in the MR2. The ‘acceptance’
of the aircraft or modifications by the RAF at the time does not absolve either company from their
responsibilities as the Design Authority for poor design.
4 Subsequently Defence Standard (Def-Stan) 00-970.
5 Hawker Siddeley became part of British Aerospace on 29 April 1977.
6 British Aerospace became BAE Systems Plc in November 1999 on the merger with Marconi Electronic Systems.