What happened
On 5 June 2016, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-ANMY, was participating in a charity fly-in at Brimlot Airfield, Berkshire. During the takeoff roll on the grass runway, the pilot applied forward pressure to lift the tail, but upon becoming airborne, the pilot released this pressure to prevent a nose-over. This caused the aircraft to pitch up unexpectedly.
As the aircraft climbed, the pilot struggled to maintain directional control. The takeoff was subsequently aborted by closing the throttle. During the excursion, the aircraft's right wing struck a safety barrier, causing the plane to veer into a row of parked cars. The impact with the barrier caused the wooden propeller to shatter, sending fragments flying. A member of the public sitting in one of the stationary vehicles sustained one serious injury from the wooden debris.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's configuration and the pilot's actions leading up to the incident. It was noted that the pilot was using an extra seat cushion to improve visibility from the rear seat, which altered his perspective of the aircraft's attitude.
Upon inspection of the G-ANMY, the investigators found that the elevator trim was set to the fully aft position. While this is standard for ground maneuvering, the pilot could not confirm if the trim had been reset to the takeoff position before the flight began.