What happened
On 27 September 2008, a Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire Mk 26 (scale replica), registration G-HABT, was involved in an accident during a private flight at Perranporth Airfield. The pilot was conducting the first flight in the aircraft, which is an all-metal, 80% scale replica of the historic fighter.
During the takeoff roll on Runway 05, the pilot operated under partial power. Due to the long nose of the aircraft, the runway was obscured from view. As the aircraft reached a speed of 30 knots, the pilot applied full power and moved the control column forward to raise the tail. While checking his alignment with the runway, the pilot noticed the aircraft had entered an unexpected nose-high attitude with the left wing dropping.
In an attempt to correct the left wing drop, the pilot applied opposite aileron. This caused the aircraft to swing to the right, leading the right wing and propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft subsequently came to rest on the perimeter track. The pilot, who had 137 total flying hours but none on this specific type, evacuated the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's handling characteristics and the pilot's takeoff technique. The pilot had prepared for the flight by following advice regarding the aircraft's nose-heavy tendencies, specifically aiming to reach 30 knots before raising the tail to avoid propeller strikes.
Investigators looked into the transition from the takeoff roll to the rotation phase. It was noted that the pilot's previous experience with tailwheel aircraft had primarily involved grass runways. The paved surface of Runway 05 at Perranporth resulted in a faster acceleration than the pilot had anticipated.