What happened
On August 4, 1999, a private flight departing from Eslöv airport in Sweden resulted in the destruction of a De Havilland DH-82A biplane. During the takeoff roll, the pilot encountered a crosswind from the left. As the aircraft accelerated and the tail skid lifted, the plane began drifting toward the right edge of the runway.
To avoid hitting runway boundary cones, the pilot elected to lift the aircraft off the ground before reaching the necessary takeoff speed. This resulted in a low-speed climb with a high nose attitude. While attempting to clear a row of trees near the airfield, the aircraft entered a stall over the right wing and impacted a wheat field. The impact caused serious injuries to a passenger, including a crushed kneecap, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) examined the wreckage and the pilot's flight history. Technical inspections of the engine revealed a defect in the right-hand ignition magneto, which failed to provide a spark at full throttle. However, subsequent test flights using an identical aircraft type demonstrated that this fault had a negligible impact on takeoff and climb performance.
The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience, noting that while qualified, the pilot had very little recent flying experience and had only performed eight hours of flight time on this specific aircraft type in the previous 90 days. The investigation also considered the meteorological conditions, noting that the crosswind component was likely stronger than initially reported.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff once the aircraft began drifting off the runway centerline.
- A contributing factor was the pilot's limited experience with the specific handling characteristics of the De Havilland DH-82A, which is more susceptible to crosswinds than modern aircraft.
- The decision to lift off prematurely at insufficient airspeed led to the aerodynamic stall that caused the crash.