What happened
On 18 August 2005, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-ACDJ, was conducting a private pleasure flight near Henley-on-Thrend. The aircraft had departed from its maintenance base for White Waltham to perform local flights. During the second flight of the day, witnesses observed the aircraft's engine sound decrease significantly, followed by the aircraft entering a steepening right-hand turn. The aircraft then descended in a tight spiral, eventually striking a field south of Remenham.
Both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. Although the pilot was initially conscious and able to communicate with emergency responders, he later passed away in the hospital. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the wreckage, radar data, and the pilot's medical history. Analysis of the wreckage showed the aircraft struck the ground in a right-hand spin. While the investigation noted a loose aileron guide plate on the left wing, it concluded this was unlikely to have caused the accident. The engine was found to be in a serviceable condition prior to the impact, and no in-flight mechanical failures of the primary flight controls were identified.
Radar recordings indicated the aircraft's ground speed decreased in the minutes leading up to the accident. The investigation also considered the pilot's medical condition, noting a pre-existing brain tumour and coronary artery disease, which could potentially lead to sudden incapacitation, though no acute event was confirmed.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a spin to the right from which it did not recover.
- A noticeable reduction in engine power occurred shortly before the spin entry.
- The exact cause of the engine power reduction and the subsequent entry into the spin could not be established.
- The pilot's medical conditions, such as a meningioma, could have potentially caused a transient episode of incapacitation.
- The aircraft's safety harnesses, while failing during the impact, met all original design specifications.