What happened
On 17 July 1999, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AHUF, was involved in a landing incident at Shoreham Airport, West Sussex. During a private training flight, witnesses observed the aircraft performing a landing on the grass Runway 25. The approach was noted as being steeper and faster than typical, with the pilot utilizing a sideslip maneuver to manage the rate of descent.
The touchdown on the mainwheels was heavy, causing the aircraft to bounce multiple times along the runway before eventually coming to a halt. The pilot in the front seat, who was participating in a trial flight, noted a high rate of descent and a hard impact that caused the aircraft to pitch forward and bounce repeatedly. Following the landing, the aircraft was taxied back to the apron and parked.
The investigation
The investigation was based on witness statements, enquiries at the airfield, and the accident report submitted by the aircraft owner. Investigators examined the aircraft for signs of structural compromise. While the damage was not immediately apparent to the naked eye, investigators identified slackness in the rigging wires. A full assessment of the damage, which included the main spars and rigging, could only be completed after the wing fabric was removed.
Discrepancies were noted regarding the flight records. The pilot in command, who was acting in an instructional capacity for the club, could not provide specific details regarding the flight's impact on the airframe, suggesting the damage might have occurred during a different sortie. Furthermore, the airfield movement logs contained no record of G-AHUF operating on the day of the incident, making it impossible to verify the total number of flights performed that day.
Findings
- The landing was characterized by a steep and fast approach.
- The aircraft experienced a heavy touchdown followed by several bounces.
- The structural integrity of the main spars and rigging was compromised.
- There was an absence of official airfield records to confirm the aircraft's flight activity on the date of the occurrence.