On November 11, 1939, a De Havilland DH.60 Moth (registration G-CAUE) operated by T. G. Bartsch was involved in an aviation accident near Grimshaw, Canada during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by an aerodynamic stall induced by a sharp turning maneuver executed to avoid trees during the initial climb. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
An aircraft stalled and crashed shortly after takeoff when the pilot executed a sharp turn to avoid trees, resulting in injuries to the pilot.
What happened
Following departure from the airfield, the aircraft was in the initial climb phase of flight. During this ascent, the pilot encountered an immediate obstacle in the form of trees and was compelled to execute a sharp turning maneuver to avoid a collision with the vegetation. The aerodynamic load imposed by this abrupt turn caused the airframe to exceed its critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall. Consequently, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly and impacted the ground approximately two kilometers from the departure point.
The pilot sustained injuries as a result of the impact but survived the accident. The aircraft involved was registered under the ownership of T. G. Bartsch & D. Patry.
Probable cause
The accident was caused by an aerodynamic stall induced by a sharp turning maneuver executed to avoid trees during the initial climb.
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