THE aircraft which crash-landed at the Royal International Air Tattoo at the weekend has become a semi-permanent resident at RAF Fairford.

The accident happened on Saturday as the Italian Air Force Alenia G-222 transport plane made a very heavy landing on Fairford's newly resurfaced 10,000ft runway, disrupting at least three hours of the airshow's programme.

Bouncing in mid-air, the aircraft's nose wheel collapsed sending it skidding down the runway creating a pall of smoke 700 feet long. As it skidded, small flames from the nose-wheel area of the aircraft were seen.

Fortunately, as the plane came to a halt, the engines were quickly stopped, and the three crew made a safe, if hasty, exit as it was sprayed with fire-retardant foam.

Now it has been decided that the plane will remain at Fairford for a number of weeks while repairs are undertaken.

Today it was towed into a hangar where a team from an Italian Air Force test squadron were due to inspect the damage to the forward fuselage and landing gear to assess what repairs will be required.

Patti Heady, spokeswoman for the Royal International Air Tattoo, said: "Any investigation will now be undertaken by the Italian Air Force so the causes of the accident are not known."

The aircraft is often one of the highlights of the show, attending each year to perform steep climbs and wingovers in front of admiring crowds.

The twin-engined G-222 resembles a mini Hercules and comes from the Italian Air Force's test squadron, the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (RSV) based at Pratica di Mare airbase, near Rome.

It is now believed that the fire in the nose-wheel compartment of the aircraft was caused by hydraulic fluid spilling out and igniting, when the nose of the plane scraped the runway.

The accident is not the first to affect a G-222 at Fairford. In 1999 a de-icing boot, which melts ice off the wings in freezing conditions, came off the aircraft's propeller and slammed into the engine, forcing the crew to make a hasty emergency landing.

Tim Prince, director of operations for RIAT, explained: "Over the years the Tattoo has enjoyed outstanding support from the Reparto Sperimentale Volo, and it is most unfortunate that this incident should happen during the flying display.

"I commend the rapid response of RIAT Emergency Services, and the excellent work of the volunteer departments responsible for clearing the runway and reorganising the flying so the programme could continue with minimum disruption."