What happened
On 15 September 2007, a Hawker Hurricane Mk XII (IIb), registration G-HURR, was participating in a flying display at Shoreham Airport, West Sussex. The aircraft was engaged in a tail chase formation, following a lead aircraft. During the sequence, the lead aircraft performed a climb and a roll, which the pilot of G-Hron attempted to replicate with an unplanned rolling manoeuvre.
As the aircraft reached an inverted position, the roll ceased and the nose dropped sharply. The aircraft entered a steep dive and struck the ground approximately 1 nautical mile north-west of the airfield. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in one fatality, the pilot, and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation confirmed that the aircraft was properly maintained, held a valid Permit to Fly, and that its mass and centre of gravity were within approved limits. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction contributing to the crash. The investigation focused on the pilot's execution of the manoeuvre and the lack of prior practice for the specific sequence.
Findings
- The pilot attempted an unplanned rolling manoeuvre that had not been practised as part of the intended display sequence.
- While the aircraft maintained adequate airspeed, the pilot provided insufficient nose-up pitch attitude to safely complete the roll within the available altitude.
- The pilot had previously indicated intentions to avoid such rolling manoeuvres, yet performed the move during the flight.
- The pilot's display authorisation had not included demonstrations of similar manoeuvres in this aircraft category, and there was no record of completed currency training as required by the operator's manual.
Safety action
Following the accident, several safety recommendations were issued to the UK Civil Aviation Authority. These include requirements for display organisers to have clearly specified and practised sequences, and for the CAA to improve the display authorisation process. This includes better identification of permitted aerobatic manoeuvres and the implementation of recurrent human factors training for display pilots.