What happened
On 27 July 2012, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AGYU, was conducting a training flight at a private airstrip located approximately 5 nm east of Retford, Nottinghamshire. The flight was part of a series of conversion training sessions, with the intention for the instructor to perform the initial circuit and landing. Weather conditions were favorable, with clear skies and a light west-north-west wind of 5 to 10 kt.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot miscalculated the aircraft's ground speed and the distance traveled. Additionally, the pilot failed to account for an upward slope at the end of the runway. As a result, the aircraft became airborne but was unable to establish sufficient climb. The instructor took control of the aircraft and aborted the takeoff attempt.
During the subsequent first approach, the aircraft experienced an unexpected sink. The aircraft touched down much closer to the start of the runway than anticipated. This resulted in the aircraft striking a hedge at the field boundary, as well as a caravan and a private car parked near the far end of the airstrip. There were no injuries to the two crew members.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the takeoff parameters, the runway topography, and the flight path during the aborted approach. The assessment focused on the pilot's management of the takeoff roll and the impact of the runway slope on the aircraft's performance.