What happened
On May 31, 2016, a De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth, registration LN-BDM, was performing a private flight at Kjeller Airport. During the final approach to the grass strip adjacent to runway 30, the aircraft's left main landing gear struck the edge of an asphalt taxiway with significant force. The impact caused the aircraft to bounce, though the pilot was able to complete the landing without further incident. The impact resulted in a punctured tire and substantial damage to the fuselage near the left main gear attachment point. While there were no fatalities, the passenger sustained neck injuries due to the sudden forces of the impact.
The investigation
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) examined the flight conditions and the aircraft's performance during the approach. The investigation focused on the pilot's visibility, the aircraft's aerodynamic characteristics, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators reviewed the pilot's experience, noting significant time logged on this specific aircraft type, and assessed the impact of the low sun position on the crew's ability to maintain situational awareness.
Findings
Several contributing factors led to the accident. The investigation established that the pilot was significantly blinded by intense glare from the low sun on the horizon. Because the Tiger Moth requires the pilot to look out the sides of the open cockpit when the nose is raised for landing, forward visibility was severely compromised.
Additionally, the DH-82A Tiger Moth is characterized by high aerodynamic drag, which can lead to a rapid loss of airspeed. The investigation found that the aircraft's speed and altitude dropped below ideal levels during the final stage of the approach. Although the pilot attempted to correct this by increasing engine power, the intervention was not timely enough to prevent the aircraft from settling prematurely and striking the pavement edge.