What happened
On 2 July 2005, a Tucker DG Taylor Titch, registration G-VIVI, was involved in an accident during a private flight at Great Oakley Airfield, Essex. The pilot had positioned the aircraft on the right side of the grass runway for departure, with surface winds reported between 220° and 260° at up to 15 knots.
During a very brief takeoff roll, the aircraft unexpectedly lifted off the ground, likely due to a gust of wind from the right. To regain visibility, the pilot pushed the control column forward to raise the tail. However, the aircraft began drifting to the left, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control despite applying full right rudder and aileron. As the aircraft's airspeed dropped below 45 mph, it began a right roll, prompting the pilot to reduce control inputs. While flying approximately 5 feet above the ground, the left wheel struck the tops of a rape crop growing beside the runway. This caused the aircraft to descend rapidly nose-first and flip onto its back. The aircraft was destroyed in the process.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading from the premature liftoff to the impact with the crops. The pilot, who held a private pilot's licence and had 1,400 total flying hours, was the sole occupant of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the pilot escaped the wreckage uninjured through the left side of the fuselage.