Aircraft and Flight Details
The accident involved a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AHVU, powered by one De Havilland Gipsy Major 1C piston engine. The aircraft was manufactured in 1941. The flight was conducted as a private flight, with one pilot and one passenger on board. Neither occupant was injured.
Accident Circumstances
On 8 July 2006 at 1045 hours UTC, the aircraft was landing on Runway 14 at Goodwood Aerodrome, Chichester, West Sussex, following an uneventful flight from Rendcomb. During the landing, the aircraft sustained damage to a vertical strut located on the left side of the cockpit. The pilot reported the wind as being from 200° at 5 kt.
Damage Assessment
The nature of the damage was limited to the left vertical strut, which was classified as minor structural damage. The pilot assessed that the damage resulted from a heavy landing, possibly due to an 'air pocket'—defined as a sudden and pronounced gust imparting negative vertical acceleration or a downdraught, according to the Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary.
Pilot Experience
The pilot, aged 52, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 766 total flying hours, of which 21 hours were on the Tiger Moth type. In the last 90 days, the pilot had flown 19 hours, including 7 hours in the last 28 days.
Official Report
The information for this report was provided by the pilot via an Aircraft Accident Report Form submitted to the AAIB. The bulletin number is 11/2006, reference EW/G2006/07/12.