Date:	Tuesday 9 August 2005
Time:	12:30 UTC
Type:	de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Tango Victor Flying Group
Registration:	G-AMTV
MSN:	3858
Year of manufacture:	1935
Engine model:	De Havilland Gipsy Major I
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Oaksey Park Airfield, Oaksey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Oaksey Park Airfield, Oaksey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire (EGTW))
Destination airport:	Oaksey Park Airfield, Oaksey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire (EGTW)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 3858 (Gipsy Major #80794); Taken on charge as N6545 at 5 MU RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire 9.2.39. To 56 E&RFTS RAF Kenley, Whyteleafe, Surrey 29.8.39 (but possibly not delivered). To 22 EFTS RAF Teversham, Cambridge 3.7.40. To 6 MU RAF Brize Norton, Carterton, Oxfordshire 2.8.43. To 21 EFTS RAF Booker, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire 22.8.43. Crashed 8.10.43 (presumed at RAF Booker); to Taylorcraft at Rearsby, Leicestershire for repairs 13.10.43. To 20 MU RAF Aston Down. Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire 27.11.43. Transferred to Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm; to 5 Ferry Squadron, RNAS Evanton 22.4.44 [until 31.1.46]. To 727 Squadron, HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, Hampshire 5.46 coded "GP2R", later "227/GJ". To AHU (Aircraft Holding Unit) HMS Blackcap, RNAS Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire 1.49.

Sold from AHU at RNAS Stretton 3.51 to W A Rollason Ltd, Croydon. UK civil registered as G-AMTV (C of R R3762/1) 5.8.52 to WA Rollason Ltd, Croydon. CofA issued 26.9.52. Registration G-AMTV cancelled 29.9.52 as 'sold abroad - Belgium'.

Re-registered OO-SOE (CofR 898) 15.10.52 to SABENA, Grimbergen. Re-registrered 2.1.53 to Ministere des Communications, Ecole de l’Aviation Civile, Grimbergen. Accident damage at Grimbergen; repaired with parts from Tiger Moth OO-UCT [in 1.56]. Damaged when struck beacon taxying at Grimbergen 6.6.62; repaired and returned to service. C of A lapsed 28.4.69. Registrartion OO-SOE cancelled 23.12.71. Stored Grimbergen [by 7.72 until 6.75]. Stored by Musee Royal de l’Armee, Brussels [8.78]; stored St Hubert [8.82]. To Raymond Cuypers 1989 in exchange for replica of prototype Tipsy Nipper. To UK and rebuilt by Aero Antiques, Durley, Hants 1991-92.

UK registration G-AMTV restored (C of R G-AMTV/R2) 25.2.91 to Kevin James Slattery, Blandford Forum (aircraft based at Compton Abbas. Dorset). C of A renewed 22.8.91. Re-registered (C of R G-AMTV/R3) on 25.1.95 to Medalbest Ltd, [Peter Borchert], Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Re-registered (C of R G-AMTV/R4) 20.8.2002 to Mark Anthony Wray, t/a Tango Victor Flying Group, Wotton-under-Edge. Gloucestershire.

Damaged 6.6.2000 in a landing accident at Old Sarum Airfield, near Salisbury, Wiltshire (see AAIB report link #1).

Damaged in a flying accident at Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire 8.6.2003 (see AAIB report, link #2): According to the AAIB summary of the incident:

"The pilot was on his fifth local flight of the day landing on the dry grass surface of Runway 21. During the landing roll, immediately after the main wheels had touched down, the aircraft pitched forward onto its nose. The aircraft sustained damage to its nose and propeller. Both occupants were uninjured and vacated the aircraft without assistance.

The pilot reported that a gust of wind had caused the tail of the aircraft to rise and he was unable to prevent the nose striking the ground. The meteorological conditions at nearby Luton Airport at 1350 hrs were: surface wind 250°/10 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, scattered cloud at 2,000 feet and a surface temperature of +15°C".

Repaired and returned to service. Substantially damaged 9.8.2005 when crashed on take off from Oaksey Park Airfield, Oaksey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire. As described by one of the part owners of G-AMTV at the time "I did about a hundred hours in her during the six years before she ended up a wreck upside down in a wheat field...after a series of mishaps - one of them mine when I nosed her over in a squall at Old warden - she 'failed to gain flying speed' and tumbled end over end into said wheat field. I wasn't there, but saw the pictures and the aftermath, which was a huge shame - all four wings broken, cabane struts bent, and fin and rudder broken, engine shock loaded. No damage to occupants, as the energy is absorbed by all those breakable bits. We all gave up then, and split the insurance money ten ways, and moved on...I tried to buy the wreck but was bid out at £8000. She is flying again now, as Tigers rarely die..."

According to the official AAIB report into the accident:

"The aircraft was refuelled after being flown three times earlier in the day and the pilot then briefed his passenger for the next flight. After a normal engine start, taxi and power checks, the take-off was commenced on grass runway 04 which is 30 metres wide. The surface wind was estimated to be 320 degrees/5 knots and the temperature 23 degrees C. Full power was selected and the control column moved fully forward with sufficient left aileron to counteract the crosswind.

The pilot became concerned during the take-off roll that the tail was not rising at its usual rate. At approximately 40 knots IAS, with the tail still not properly elevated, the left wing lifted. Although the pilot was able to correct this with full left aileron, the aircraft drifted right towards the standing crop of maize growing by the side of the runway. The aircraft became airborne at 50 knots IAS with the pilot's intention being to gain further airspeed in level flight before climbing away.

However, the drift to the right continued and the right main wheel contacted the crop causing a yaw to the right, a decrease in airspeed and subsequent descent into the crop. As the aircraft contacted the crop, it pitched onto its back. The damage to the aircraft was assessed as beyond economic repair. Both occupants, who were wearing four point harnesses, were able to vacate the cockpit with the pilot suffering from minor cuts and bruises.

Nature of Damage to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Both wings, the rudder and propeller damaged". Despite being assessed as being "beyond economic repair", G-AMTV was sold to Michael Souch, Hurn; delivered by road 18.10.2005 for rebuild. Re-registered (C of R G-AMTV/R5) 14.9.2006 to Aviation Ventures Ltd, t/a Delta Aviation, Sywell [delivered by road 14.7.2006]. On rebuild by Delta at Sywell [2007]. Re-registered (C of R G-AMTV/R6) 3.10.2008 to Michael Geoffrey Collins & Lesley Joan Collins, Westoning, Bedford (aircraft based at Sywell). Sold 9.2009 and re-registered (C of R G-AMTV/R7) 8.6.2010 to Edward Scurr, trustee G-AMTV Flying Group, London SW11 (aircraft remained based at Sywell). Damaged when overturned on start-up Sywell 4.6.2010; repaired. C of A replaced by Permit to Fly 16.7.20; owner now at Ilkley, Yorkshire). Currently registered.

1. AAIB Bulletin No: 8/2000 Ref: EW/G2000/06/08
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f3bd40f0b61342000441/dft_avsafety_pdf_500206.pdf
2. AAIB Ref Accident 8.6.2003: AAIB Bulletin No: 8/2003 Ref: EW/G2003/06/03 at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f1f440f0b6134200036b/dft_avsafety_pdf_023418.pdf
3. AAIB Ref Accident 9.8.2005: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422edc3e5274a13140001a9/G-AMTV_11-05.pdf
4. CAA History of G-AMTV 1952: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AMTV.pdf
5. http://www.jasperfforde.com/airaffair/aircraft3.html
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p038.html
8. https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=40568
9. Tiger Moth G-AMTV at The De Havilland Moth Club's 28th International Moth Rally at Woburn Abbey. 18.8.2013: https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001291146.html
10. Tiger Moth G-AMTV various photos 28.8.1995 to 16.8.2015: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/G-AMTV?f=&sort=date_taken_formatted&order=asc
11. https://ukga.com/airfield/oaksey-park
12. https://www.oakseyparkairfield.co.uk/

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

6 June 2000	G-AMTV	Medalbest Ltd.	0	Old Sarum Aerodrome, Salisbury, Wiltshire		min
Bounced on landing
8 June 2003	G-AMTV	Tango Victor Flying Group	0	Shuttleworth (Old Warden), Biggleswade, Bedfordshire		min

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Jan-2008 10:32	JINX	Added
26-Aug-2008 12:46	JINX	Updated
05-Dec-2014 01:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative]
13-Aug-2016 18:19	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
13-Aug-2016 18:20	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport]
13-Aug-2016 18:25	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
02-Feb-2022 17:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
02-Feb-2022 17:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Category]