Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-AMTV, powered by a single Gypsy Major 1 piston engine. It was manufactured in 1935. The flight was a private local flight, the pilot's fifth of the day. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence, was 42 years old, and had a total of 384 flying hours, including 78 on type. In the last 90 days he had flown 28 hours, and in the last 28 days, 14 hours. One passenger was on board.
Accident Description
At 1417 UTC on 8 June 2003, the pilot was landing on Runway 21, which had a dry grass surface. During the landing roll, immediately after the main wheels touched down, the aircraft pitched forward onto its nose. The nose and propeller sustained damage. Both the pilot and passenger were uninjured and vacated the aircraft without assistance.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that a gust of wind had caused the tail of the aircraft to rise, and he was unable to prevent the nose from striking the ground.
Meteorological Conditions
Meteorological conditions recorded at nearby Luton Airport at 1350 UTC were: surface wind 250° at 10 knots, visibility greater than 10 km, scattered cloud at 2,000 feet, and a surface temperature of +15°C.