An investigation was under way at a Moray air base last night after a woman, who is believed to be the wife of an RAF serviceman, was injured in a Nimrod flight simulator.
A source at the base said she had broken her leg in two places when she went down the simulator’s escape chute.
An RAF spokeswoman said the Health and Safety Executive had been informed and an internal inquiry had been launched.
Last night, former Nimrod MRA2 captain Bob Hellyer expressed disappointment, saying the simulator should not be used like “a toy”.
The Thales cockpit simulator is being used at RAF Kinloss to train pilots to fly the Nimrod MRA4.
A total of 24 aircrew students, made up of pilots, weapons systems officers and weapons systems operators, are being trained in the simulator.
A spokeswoman at RAF Kinloss confirmed last night that a “dependent” at the air base had been injured visiting the equipment.
She added: “We can confirm that an inquiry is under way after a dependent at Kinloss was injured on a visit to the simulator last week.
“The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.
“In line with RAF policy, unit inquiries are initiated by the station commander to establish the facts and to make sure that all reasonable steps are taken to make sure that this does not happen again.
“The report is an internal document.”
Mr Hellyer said: “My experience would have said to me not to invite people up there because it’s an emergency procedure and the only time it should be used is in an emergency situation.
“It’s not a toy. That sort of attitude is not on.”
An HSE spokeswoman said initial inquiries were being made.
The first Nimrod MRA4 aircraft is expected to arrive at the Kinloss air base later this year.
The Nimrod MR2 fleet was retired at the end of March after almost 30 years service.