What happened
On 7 April 2013, a De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AYDI, was performing a private flight at Hampstead Norris Airfield in Berkshire. The pilot was executing a landing on the grass runway 23 under favorable weather conditions, with surface winds reported as variable between 0 and 10 knots.
Rather than joining the airfield via an overhead pattern, the pilot conducted a straight-in approach and brought the aircraft to a stop. During the flare phase immediately preceding touchdown, a gust of wind originating from the south caused the right wing to drop and strike the ground. This impact caused the aircraft to yaw toward the right, resulting in the aircraft leaving the runway. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot, but the aircraft sustained damage to both lower wings, the elevator, and the lower portion of the rudder.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. It was established that the pilot had opted for a straight-in approach instead of the standard overhead join. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience and the specific aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft during the landing flare in the presence of variable winds.