What happened
On 21 April 2010, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-ALWW, was involved in a ground collision during the final stages of taxiing for departure at an airfield in Bidford, Warwickshire. The pilot was performing a private flight and was in the process of maneuvering the aircraft onto the grass runway area. During the taxi, the pilot yielded to a glider that was under tow.
As the pilot maneuvered the aircraft, a collision occurred with a parked Pawnee aircraft located near the start of the runway. In an attempt to avoid striking a second parked glider, the pilot's movement resulted in the Tiger Moth making contact with the Pawnee. The impact caused a propeller strike and damage to the left wing interplane struts and flying wires. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of movements leading up to the collision. The investigation established that the pilot's attention had become diverted from the immediate surroundings due to the necessity of monitoring the glider under tow. This focus on the towed aircraft meant that the pilot's lookout was compromised while navigating the taxiway area near the parked aircraft.