What happened
On 24 October 2016, a Shadow Series DD, registration G-MGTW, was performing a private flight departing from a private airfield near Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire. During the takeoff roll, the pilot raised the nose to initiate liftoff. Immediately following rotation, a loud bang was heard, followed by a second, softer impact sound and intense vibrations throughout the airframe.
Despite the disturbance, the pilot maintained the climb and subsequently turned the aircraft back toward the airfield. The pilot performed a crosswind landing on a section of the departure field that was soft and rutted. During this landing, the aircraft's g-meter recorded a load of 2.7g, which the pilot noted was roughly 0.7g higher than the loads experienced during previous landings on similar terrain. The impact resulted in structural damage, including cracking and distortion to the main boom and the nosewheel.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft to determine the source of the noise and vibration experienced during takeoff. The inspection of the propeller revealed that one of the three blades on the wooden propeller had suffered delamination of the leading edge insert and tip damage. No damage was found on the propeller hub or the remaining two blades. The investigation focused on identifying what caused the initial impact sounds and the subsequent structural damage to the airframe.