Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
9%
2 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
68/100
Daily Mail's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Other
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
The death of an RAF Spitfire pilot who was killed when his plane crashed during a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was 'very likely' caused by a decades-old piece of debris in the engine, a report has concluded.
asserted
report → kill → engine
Squadron leader Mark Long, 43, died near RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on May 25, 2024.
uncertain
Long → die → May
His plane went down at 1.16pm shortly after he took off to do a series of flypasts and a display for the memorial.
asserted
he → go → memorial
Mr Long's family said in a statement issued by the MoD following his death: 'Mark lived his life with an unwavering passion with laughter, love and dedication to his family.
'
asserted
Mark → say → family
His talent for flying was there for all to see and his ability to connect to everyone he met was infectious.
asserted
he → see → everyone
Mark will be cherished and deeply missed by us all.'
He was flying a Supermarine Spitfire MK356, which was built at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, owned by the Morris Motors Company, in Birmingham in early 1944.
asserted
which → cherish → 1944
The Defence Safety Authority published a report into his death to 'inform the military chain of command and the public of the findings of the inquiry and its recommendations to improve defence safety'.
asserted
Authority → publish → safety
A service inquiry panel said 'engine performance data and witness statements align with what would be expected if the aircraft was experiencing fuel starvation'.
asserted
aircraft → say → starvation
Squadron Leader Mark Long, (pictured) died when his Spitfire crashed within a few minutes of takeoff during a Battle of Britain memorial flight near RAF Coningsby on May 25, 2024
Mark Long flying the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire MK356
The report stated: 'The panel concluded that it was very likely that debris in the carburettor partially blocked the lean metering jet.
uncertain
debris → picture → jet
This blockage reduced fuel flow, resulting in an overly lean mixture, decreased engine power and ultimately reduced thrust, preventing Fighter 2 from maintaining the performance required for safe flight.
'
asserted
blockage → reduce → flight
The panel concluded that debris within the carburettor was very likely to be the causal factor that prevented the engine from producing the thrust required to maintain flight.
asserted
that → conclude → flight
'
Chemical analysis revealed that the debris had been 'present for decades'.
asserted
debris → reveal → decades
There were also problems found with Mr Long's restraint system in the cockpit, which includes harnesses and other measures to hold him in place.
asserted
which → be → place
The problematic design was 'critical in the survivability of the pilot' and was 'very likely to have been an aggravating factor in the accident and design changes and modifications should be considered to enhance survivability', the report said.
asserted
report → consider → survivability
Mr Long was born in Bury St Edmunds and graduated initial officer training in 2003, the MoD said.
asserted
MoD → bear → 2003
He was then sent to RAF Linton-on-Ouse to fly the Tucano before gaining his “wings” in 2003.
asserted
He → send → 2003
The scene where the pilot died in a crash during a Battle of Britain event near RAF Coningsby
The location where the Spitfire crashed in a field on on Langrick Road at RAF Coningsby
Sqn Ldr Mark Long pictured reading a map on an RAF airplane
Tributes left for Mark Long who was tragically killed in a Battle of Britain memorial flight
His advanced flying training was on the Hawk, and he was selected to take on the role of an instructor.
asserted
he → die → instructor
He later converted to the Harrier GR7/9 and was posted to RAF Cottesmore.
asserted
He → convert → Cottesmore
He was the last RAF Harrier pilot qualified to conduct operations off an aircraft carrier.
asserted
He → conduct → carrier
In 2012, Mr Long joined the Typhoon Force and was assigned to RAF Coningsby.
asserted
Long → join → Coningsby
In 2016, he was the Typhoon display pilot, and his primary role was to teach student pilots how to operate the jet.
asserted
role → teach → jet
The MoD said that alongside his instructional duties, Mr Long also helped defend UK sovereign airspace by undertaking quick reaction alert duties in the UK, the Falkland Islands and while on Baltic air policing operations in Lithuania.
asserted
Long → say → Lithuania
The Aporia
