No fatalities

Training aircraft overturns and catches fire on landing at RAF Northolt (J9104)

Northolt AFB, United KingdomLanding (descent or approach)

On September 4, 1928, a De Havilland DH.60 Moth (registration J9104) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Northolt AFB, United Kingdom during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A local training flight at RAF Northolt ended in an accident when the aircraft overturned upon landing and burst into flames. The instructor escaped uninjured, while the student pilot sustained severe burns.

What happened

The incident occurred during a routine local training exercise conducted at RAF Northolt. As the crew completed their approach for landing, the aircraft lost stability and overturned on the runway surface. The impact caused the airframe to come to rest upside down, which immediately triggered a fire that engulfed the wreckage.

Emergency response efforts focused on extracting the occupants from the burning fuselage. The instructor managed to escape the scene without sustaining any injuries. In contrast, the student pilot suffered severe burns due to the intensity of the flames and the duration of their entrapment in the overturned aircraft.