What happened
On 3 May 2014, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AHVU, was conducting a private flight when an accident occurred during the landing phase at Rendcomb Airfield in Gloucestershire. As the aircraft was touching down, it experienced a bounce that subsequently caused the plane to flip into an inverted position.
There were two people on board, including the pilot, and no injuries were reported following the event. The impact resulted in substantial damage to several parts of the aircraft, specifically affecting the propeller, cowls, wings, fuel tank, rear fuselage, and the empennage.
The investigation
Following the incident, the AAIB examined the circumstances surrounding the landing. The investigation focused on the aircraft's behavior during the touchdown and the pilot's control of the aircraft's attitude. The pilot provided information via an aircraft accident report form, noting that the aircraft's attitude had not been correctly established for a stable landing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain the correct aircraft attitude during the landing sequence.
- The aircraft bounced upon contact with the runway, leading to the subsequent inversion and structural damage.