Date:	Sunday 12 August 2012
Time:	19:00 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH.82a Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Robin Alexander Lovie Falconer
Registration:	G-ANFV
MSN:	85904
Year of manufacture:	1942
Engine model:	De Havilland Gipsy Major 1F
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Shempston Farm Strip, Duffus, near Elgin, Moray -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Shempston Farm Strip, Duffus, near Elgin, Moray
Destination airport:	Shempston Farm Strip, Duffus, near Elgin, Moray
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 85904; Taken on charge as DF155, nominally at 15 MU RAF Wroughton 18.12.42. However, placed into long-term storage in ‘purgatory’ in the Oxfordshire area; returned to Morris Motors, Cowley, Oxford for erection 11.5.44. To 28 EFTS RAF Pendeford, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire 31.5.44, coded “15”, later “FJJ-N”. To 25 RFS RAF Pendeford, Wolverhampton 26.6.47 coded “RCW-L”. To 9 MU RAF Cosford, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire 10.2.53 for long term storage pending disposal (delivered 13.2.53).

Struck off charge when sold 18.11.53 to Association of British Aero Clubs. UK civil registrered as G-ANFV (C of R R4206/1) on 1.12.53 to Edwin George Gamble, Bryan Ellis Wood & Elwin Stroat Barnett, trustees of the Assets of The Orkney Flying Club, Kirkwall. Overhauled at Wolverhampton and C of A issued 31.12.53. Registration cancelled 7.5.57 and re-registered (C of R R4206/2) on 3.7.57 to Edinburgh Flying Club Ltd, Turnhouse, (replacement for Tiger Moth G-AMNO). Badly damaged when stalled on take-off Turnhouse 10.5.58; repaired and returned to service.

Registration cancelled 9.8.60 and re-registered (C of R R4260/3) on 10.8.60 to Henry John Murphy, Blackhall, Edinburgh (based Turnhouse); named "Joe's Burd". Registration cancelled 30.1.62 and re-registered (C of R R4206/4) 13.2.62 to John Bryce Galbraith Campbell, Bridge of Don, Aberdeenshire (aircraft based at Dyce, Aberdeen). Owner notified CAA of change of address to Aberdeen 15.3.64. Struck bank on take-off and overturned while glider towing at Litterty Gliding Site, Turriff 4.4.64. Registration cancelled 24.8.64 as "destroyed".

To Strathallan for rebuild [by 8.1968]. Re-regd (C of R R4260/5) 4.11.69 to Strathallan Air Services Ltd, Strathallan, Auchterarder, Perthshire for operation by Central Scotland Flying Club. Registration cancelled 1.4.70 (CAA notified 25.8.70) – sold to Sir William James Denby Roberts, Strathallan (not re-registered). Re-registered (C of R R4260/6) 2.9.70 to Cirrus Aviation Ltd, Strathallan, Aucterarder, Perthshire and C of A finally renewed 26.9.70. C of A lapsed 25.10.72. Regsitration cancelled 20.3.74 and re-registered (C of R4260/7) 11.4.74 to Sir William James Denby Roberts, trustee Strathallan Aircraft Collection, Strathallan, Perthshire.

C of A renewed 11.11.74; painted in RAF colours as DF155. Sold at auction 14.7.81. Registration cancelled 7.9.81 and re-registered (C of R R4260/R8) on 21.9.81 to Robin Alexander Lovie Falconer, Shempston, Elgin (based RAF Lossiemouth, later at Shempston Farm Strip, Duffus, near Elgin, Moray). C of A lapsed 4.2.2001; to Cliff Lovell/Hampshire Light Plane Services, Chilbolton, Hampshire [by 10.2002] for overhaul. C of A renewed 1.8.2003. C of A lapsed 31.7.2004; renewed 3.10.2006. Damaged in heavy landing at Shempston Farm Strip, Duffus, near Elgin, Moray 21.6.2008 (see separate entry)

Repaired at Langham and first reflown after repairs 12.2008, returned to Shempston Farm, Duffus, 2.4.2009. C of A replaced by Permit to Fly 20.7.2012. Substantially damaged - and later assessed as "beyond economic repair" - 12/8/2012 when crashed at a Private aistrip at Shempston Airfield, Duffas, Moray, Scotland. The two persons on board (pilot and one passenger) sustained minor injuries. The pilot initiated a go-around after a bounced landing. As the aircraft turned crosswind, it encountered an increasing tailwind and its performance deteriorated rapidly. The pilot steered the aircraft to an area of low crops with the intention of regaining lost airspeed but was unable to prevent it from striking the ground. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:

"The aircraft was being flown from a private grass airstrip which was about 500 metres long and orientated 16/34. A weather forecast obtained from nearby RAF Lossiemouth gave good visibility and scattered cloud, with a surface wind from 140 degrees at 14 knots. Although he assessed the surface wind to be from 150 degrees at 12 knots, the pilot elected to land in the northerly direction, on an approximately 3% up-slope.

The aircraft bounced on landing and the pilot initiated a go-around. As the aircraft turned left, crosswind, there was a loss of airspeed and its performance deteriorated rapidly. The pilot was concerned that the aircraft might settle into a small wooded knoll ahead, so chose to turn to the right towards an open barley field. His intention was to convert some of his remaining height into airspeed and re-establish a climb.

When the pilot attempted to level the aircraft just above the ground, he found that it would not respond in pitch. The aircraft struck the ground moments later, at a speed of about 55 kt and in a descending right turn. The aircraft came to rest after a short distance, with its wings folded about the fuselage. The pilot and his passenger were able to free themselves from the wreckage unaided.

All three emergency services attended the scene and the pilot and his passenger were taken to hospital but had suffered only minor injuries. The pilot believed that he had focussed too much on the ground handling characteristics of the aircraft and had not taken into account how the prevailing weather conditions would affect other phases of flight. He thought that the aircraft had encountered a tailwind as it climbed out of relative shelter at ground level and then had stalled when he initiated the right turn."

Nature of Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Extensive damage to the aircraft and some crop damage". The damage was presumably enough to render the airframe as "beyond economic repair", as the registration G-ANFV was cancelled by the CAA on 29.4.2013 (seven months later) as "Permanently withdrawn from use". Airframe sold 2018 to Classic Wings, Duxford for rebuild. Re-registered (C of R G-ANFV/R9) on 15.8.2018 to Avalon Ventures Ltd (Trevor & Theresa Butcher), Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Currently registered and on rebuild.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft DA100-DZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1987 p.19)
2. AAIB Bulletin: 10/2012 G-ANFV EW/G2012/08/07 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422efeced915d13710002a5/DH82A_Tiger_Moth_G-ANFV_10-12.pdf
3. AAIB Bulletin: 11/2008, G-ANFV, EW/G2008/06/23 (Accident 21.6.2008): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f146e5274a131700036f/DH82A_Tiger_Moth__G-ANFV_11-08.pdf
4. CAA History of G-ANFV 1953-62: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ANFV-1.pdf
5. CAA History of G-ANFV 1962-81: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ANFV-2.pdf
6. CAA History of G-ANFV 1981-2013: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ANFV-3.pdf
7. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p841.html
9. https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=78448
10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19241349
11. http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/08/tiger-moth-aircraft-crashes-outside-of.html
12. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/tiger-moth-aircraft-crashes-in-moray-1258819
13. https://www.airteamimages.com/de-havilland-tiger-moth_G-ANFV_united-kingdom---royal-air-force_14758.html
14. https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/shempston-farm/

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

21 June 2008

G-ANFV

Robin Alexander Lovie Falconer

0

Shempston Farm Strip, Duffus, near Elgin, Moray

sub

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Aug-2012 13:01	FERRYAIR	Added
13-Aug-2012 13:03	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative]
18-Aug-2012 15:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Phase, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
13-Oct-2012 02:39	harro	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative]
05-Jan-2017 22:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
05-Jan-2017 22:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
05-Jan-2017 22:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
05-Feb-2022 23:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
05-Feb-2022 23:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]