What happened
On 16 October 2021, a Rollason Druine D.31 Turbulent, registration G-ARGZ, was participating in a training session at Damyns and Hall Aerodrome, Upminster. A display team was instructing new pilots in the 'limbo' manoeuvre, which requires flying the aircraft beneath a string of bunting suspended approximately 20 feet above the ground.
Following a period of formation practice, the aircraft approached the bunting at a height of approximately 5 feet. As the aircraft reached the gate, it suddenly pitched nose-down and struck the ground. The impact was severe enough to break the main wing spar, causing the wings to fold upwards and leaving the aircraft inverted on the grass. The pilot sustained one serious injury and was transported to the hospital.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and reviewed video footage captured from the ground. The footage confirmed that the aircraft was in stable, level flight with no roll or yaw immediately before the pitch change. The impact occurred less than one second after the nose-down movement was initiated.
An examination of the aircraft revealed no pre-existing mechanical defects in the flying controls or airframe. The pilot, who possessed extensive helicopter experience but relatively limited hours on this specific type, noted that the controls of the G-ARGZ are highly sensitive. He recalled an instinctive decision to pitch the nose forward because he believed the aircraft was slightly too high as it approached the cable.