ANNE NINE SECONDS FROM JET DISASTER; pounds 50m RAF fighter crosses path.

Byline: JANE KERR, Royal Reporter

PRINCESS Anne came within nine seconds of disaster in a near miss with the RAF's new 1,500mph fighter jet yesterday.

Her royal plane and the pounds 50million Typhoon were just 3.3 miles apart at 28,000ft when air traffic controllers spotted them on a collision path.

They ordered 54-year-old Anne's pilot to change course immediately.

Last night a full investigation was ordered into how the RAF plane, currently on trials, violated the royal jet's airspace. Anne's HS125 had taken off from RAF Lyneham, Wilts.

It was over Morecambe Bay, Lancs, on the way to Scotland when the near miss happened at 10am.

A National Air Traffic Service spokesman said: "The controller observed the Typhoon turn to cross ahead of the royal flight and immediately told the royal flight to take avoiding action." A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "An investigation has been launched but it would be inappropriate to comment further."

A Buckingham Palace source said: "The Princess Royal was informed immediately after the incident by her pilot. It wasn't desperately close. She simply continued with her engagements." The Typhoon, from British Aerospace's base in Warton, Lancs, had apparently strayed into a "purple" buffer zone, which protects all royal flights.

It is standard industry practice for controllers to keep passenger aircraft 1,000ft apart vertically, with a five-mile horizontal gap.

Seven months ago, Prince Charles's plane, heading for Spain, was involved in near miss with an Air Lingus airbus over Newbury, Berks.

CAPTION(S):

DANGER: Anne's jet had to alter course; THREAT: The RAF's new Typhoon fighter