What happened
On 25 May 2018, a North American/Aero Classics P-51 Mustang, registration N51BS, was involved in an accident during a private flight departing from Woodchurch Airfield in Kent. The aircraft, which was configured with heavier materials and inert weaponry, was operating on a 750 m grass runway that had become soft following recent rainfall.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot intentionally avoided applying full power immediately to prevent the aircraft from rolling in the direction opposite to the propeller rotation. As the aircraft progressed down the runway, the wheels began to sink into the soft ground, preventing the aircraft from reaching the necessary speed for lift-off. As the runway ended, the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft to avoid a ditch, resulting in a collision with a fence. The aircraft came to a stop approximately 180 m beyond the runway end. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, wing, flap, and tail wheel, and the left gear leg detached.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's weight, the runway conditions, and the pilot's decision-making process. It was established that the pilot had completed training on the P-51 type one year prior to the event. The investigation noted that the pilot had previously operated a different P-51 on a similar grass strip without incident. However, the pilot acknowledged that the specific weight of N51BS was higher than other aircraft of this type he had flown due to its restoration to an original configuration containing heavier components.