Accident
On 17 August 2005 at approximately 1610 UTC, a de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth (registration G-TIGA) struck a runway marker board while conducting touch-and-go landings at Nottingham Airport, Nottinghamshire. The pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured. The aircraft sustained damage to the undercarriage strut and the underside of the starboard wing.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a 1955-model DH82A Tiger Moth powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Major I piston engine. It was being operated on a private flight.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 72, held a Commercial Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 5,224 total flying hours, including 1,650 hours on the Tiger Moth. His recent flying experience was limited: 8 hours in the last 90 days, and 1 hour in the last 28 days.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was practicing visual circuits using the central grass portion of the airfield, which was bounded by two runways and a taxiway and was specially prepared for aircraft like the Tiger Moth. Runway 21 was in use. The pilot had completed one successful touch-and-go on this area during the same flight. On the second approach, the aircraft landed normally. As power was applied for the touch-and-go, the aircraft drifted to the right and struck a runway marker board on the edge of the grass area.
Due to the aircraft's structure limiting forward visibility, the pilot had initially been looking to the left. As the tail rose during the touch-and-go, he transferred his vision to the right and became aware of the marker board's proximity shortly before impact. The pilot immediately closed the throttle and landed on a grass area straight ahead, then taxied back to the hangar and shut down.
Weather Conditions
Weather at the time was good, with a southerly surface wind. The pilot considered that this wind caused the aircraft to drift to the right.