What happened
On 13 July 2005, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-ANEN, was performing a private flight at Goodwood Aerodrome in West Sussex. During the takeoff roll on Runway 24, the pilot successfully raised the tail of the aircraft as part of the standard procedure. However, the aircraft subsequently over-pitched, causing the propeller to make contact with the grass runway surface.
The impact resulted in the engine being shock loaded and caused damage to the propeller and the engine cowlings. Additionally, the underside of the right wing sustained a puncture. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances leading to the loss of control during the takeoff phase. The investigation established that the pilot had recently been flying primarily in aircraft equipped with nose-wheel configurations. Since the start of 2005, the pilot had accumulated only about five hours of experience on tail-wheel aircraft, and the flight in the G-ANEN was the first time the pilot had operated this specific type in six weeks.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to centralise the elevator after the tail had been raised.
- The pilot's recent flying experience had been predominantly on nose-wheel aircraft, which may have influenced the handling of the tail-wheel transition.
- The runway surface was noted to be smooth, and wind conditions were assessed as being approximately 5 knots.