What happened
On 13 August 2021, at approximately 10:59 UTC, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AXBW, was involved in a ground collision at the Malshanger Estate Airstrip in Hampshire. The incident occurred while the pilot was attempting to start the engine using the hand-swinging method. During this process, the engine RPM rose unexpectedly. Because the aircraft had not been secured with chocks, it began to move forward unexpectedly.
As the aircraft moved, it struck two other Tiger Moth aircraft that were parked in the immediate vicinity. The collision occurred at a low speed and resulted in no reported injuries or fatalities.
The investigation
An investigation was conducted to determine the sequence of events leading to the movement of the aircraft. The inquiry established that the engine's rotational speed increased without warning during the manual starting procedure. The investigation focused on the lack of ground securing measures in place at the time of the engine start.