What happened
On June 11, 2017, a Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk XIX, registration F-AZJS, was performing a takeoff roll during an open house event at the Longuyon-Villette aerodrome. The pilot, who was performing his first flight in this specific aircraft type, was taxiing along runway 28. While aligning with the runway centerline, the pilot checked the instrument panel to increase engine power to 6 boost. During this brief moment of diverted attention, the aircraft began to pitch forward. The propeller struck the ground, causing the aircraft to nose over and capsize. Fragments of the propeller blades were projected into the nearby crowd, resulting in one person on the ground seriously injured and one person on the ground slightly injured. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the sequence of the takeoff roll and the safety organization of the event. The investigation established that the pilot, an experienced aviator with 6,100 total flight hours, had recently received a briefing for this flight but had no prior experience operating the Spitfire. The investigation also examined the regulatory status of the open house; because the official filing to the prefecture did not include flight demonstrations, the event was not classified as an airshow, meaning it was not subject to the stricter safety regulations governing flight displays.
Investigators noted that the public was positioned approximately 40 meters from the edge of the runway. While the event had a designated flight director, this individual was only responsible for the aeroclub's own aircraft and was unaware that the pilot of the F-AZJS was flying the Spitfire for the first time.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a too-rapid alignment with the runway centerline during the takeoff roll, which caused the aircraft to pitch forward.
- The pilot's previous experience with other high-performance vintage aircraft, such as the Hawker Sea Fury, likely influenced his handling of the Spitfire, which is more responsive and requires different techniques.
- The proximity of the public to the active runway increased the risk of injury from flying debris.
- The lack of formal airshow regulation meant there was no requirement for a safety study regarding spectator placement or a flight director oversight of all visiting aircraft.