What happened
On 19 April 1998, a DH82A Tiger Moth, registration G-BALX, departed Dieppe, France, for a return flight to Lashenden (Headcorn), UK. The pilot, an experienced flyer with approximately 1,000 total hours, had previously completed the outbound leg of the journey earlier that day.
At approximately 1440 hrs, the aircraft took off from Dieppe. Shortly after departure, at 1442 hrs, the pilot established radio contact with Paris North Flight Information Service (FIS). During this transmission, the pilot stated he was en route to Headcorn, flying VFR, and estimated his arrival at the mid-channel boundary at 17:00. However, the pilot did not provide an airborne time, nor did he specifically request that his filed flight plan be activated.
Following this brief contact, there were no further radio, radar, or visual sightings of the aircraft. Because the flight plan was never officially activated, the destination unit at Lashenden was unaware of the aircraft's departure or its estimated time of arrival. The aircraft was subsequently reported missing, and a Search and Rescue operation was launched on the morning of 21 April 1998. No trace of the G-BALX or the pilot has been found.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's technical status, and the air traffic control procedures used during the flight. The DH82A Tiger Moth was found to be in a valid state of airworthiness, featuring a modified fuel system with an additional aluminium tank to increase endurance.
Investigators reviewed meteorological data for the afternoon of the flight, which indicated generally favorable conditions with visibility of 30 km and scattered clouds. While some light rain was noted in the western channel, the weather was considered suitable for the planned visual flight.
Regarding air traffic control, the investigation established that because the Dieppe tower was closed at the time of departure, the pilot was responsible for activating his own flight plan. While the pilot had filed the plan via telephone, the failure to communicate the airborne time to the relevant authorities meant the flight plan remained inactive.
Findings
- The pilot's radio transmission to Paris FIS was the last known contact with the aircraft.
- The flight plan was not activated because the pilot did not provide an airborne time or a specific request for activation.
- The lack of an active flight plan meant the destination unit at Lashenden had no record of the aircraft's departure or expected arrival time.
- The aircraft was flying below radar coverage, preventing the Distress and Diversion cell from tracking the flight's progress.