Background
On 1 June 1998 at 1035 hours UTC, a de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-ANNG, operated a private local flight from Farnborough Airport in Hampshire. The aircraft, manufactured in 1942, was powered by one de Havilland Gipsy Major 1 piston engine. The pilot, aged 39, held an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence with an Instructor Rating and had accumulated 6,000 flying hours, of which only 7 were on type. In the previous 90 days, the pilot had logged 100 hours, with 30 hours in the last 28 days.
Incident Details
The runway in use was Runway 25, which had an asphalt surface with an available landing distance of 2,074 metres. Meteorological conditions were described as excellent, with a surface wind from 200 degrees at 7 knots. After the local flight, the pilot returned to perform visual circuits at Farnborough. The first two circuits and landings were uneventful.
During the third approach, the touchdown was normal. However, during the later stages of the roll out, the aircraft deviated sharply to the right. At this time, the airspeed was low and the tailwheel was on the ground. The pilot attempted to correct the divergence by applying full left rudder, which caused the aircraft to enter a ground loop to the left. The aircraft came to a halt on the asphalt surface of Runway 18/36.
Examination
A subsequent inspection revealed that the right tyre was totally deflated. No injuries were reported among the sole crew member and one passenger. The nature of damage was minor, limited to the undercarriage.