A private jet was surrounded by US military personnel after ‘accidentally’ landing at RAF Fairford – a key base for American bomber operations in Europe.
The Cessna Citation XL, registration D-CJMK, touched down at the Gloucestershire airbase at around 9.30am on Saturday 12 September.
Using the callsign VistaJet373, the aircraft had departed London City Airport and was understood to have been destined for Cotswold Airport at Kemble.
Instead, it landed on runway 27 at RAF Fairford, approximately 15 miles east of its intended destination.
Aviation photographer Jamie Wilkins, of Black Cat Aviation, witnessed the incident and described the landing as likely unauthorised.
He said: “An interesting morning at Fairford with “VistaJet373”, a Cessna Citation XL (D-CJMK), making an unauthorised landing, much to the bases dismay.
“The aircraft left London City Airport with a planned flight to Kemble Cotswold Airport a short time afterwards.
“For reasons known only to those in the cockpit (and subsequently the surrounding US Military personnel) they landed approximately 15 miles East on RAF Fairford’s runway 27.
“The aircraft was held on the apron for almost 3 hours to fill out the required investigational paperwork and was allowed to depart for Kemble at 12.15pm.”
It’s understood the aircraft was met by armed US Air Force security personnel following the landing.
The jet remained at RAF Fairford for almost three hours before departing for Cotswold Airport at around 12.15pm.
The air base has a significant US Air Force presence, and is the preferred forward operating location for bombers in Europe.
Its long runway and infrastructure allow strategic bombers to operate from the base, which hosts aircraft including the B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress.
Wiltshire 999s approached the US Air Force, Ministry of Defence and VistaJet on the day of the incident, seeking clarification about the circumstances.
The Ministry of Defence directed enquiries to the US Air Force and did not comment on the incident. Neither the US Air Force nor VistaJet responded to requests for comment.
