Date:	Monday 17 September 1951
Time:	day
Type:	De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Tangmere SF RAF
Registration:	N6790
MSN:	82060
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Location:	RAF Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 82060 (Gipsy Major #80987); Taken on charge as N6790 at 10 MU, RAF Hullavington, Chippenham, Wiltshire 9.5.39. To 13 E&RFTS RAF White Waltham, Maidenhead, Berkshire. Opon outbreak of war 3.9.39, unit renamed 13 EFTS. To 21 EFTS RAF Booker, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire 2.6.41. Crashed 2.5.44 [presumed at Booker]; to Lundy & Atlantic Coast for repairs 10.5.44. Upon completion of repairs, to 39 MU RAF Colerne, Wiltshire 27.5.44. To 19 FTS, RAF Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire 7.5.45. To RAF College, RAF Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire 17.4.47, coded "FAE-O", also “FAK-C”. To 12 MU RAF Kirkbride, Cumberland, 23.3.49. To RAF Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, 24.7.50 for use by the Station Flight

Involved in a fatal accident at RAF Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex on 17.9.51. The aircraft failed to become airborne on its take off run, because the pilot adopted a "three-point" take off technique, which required a greater takeoff distancees

Having failed to get airborne, the pilot decided to make a forced landing straight ahead, but, in doing so, the Tiger Moth struck a civilian worker, a Mr. Knight, who was part of a construction gang working on the airfield perimeter track. The civilian worker was killed.

At the subsequent inquest into the death of Mr. Knight, it was stated that he was almost totally deaf, and could only be communicated to by means of lip reading. He therefore did not hear the aircraft's approach, or the warnings shouted to him to get out of the way.

The Tiger Moth was only slightly damaged, and the crew themselves were uninjured.

Tiger Moth N6790 was struck off charge when sold 4.2.52 to Portsmouth Aero Club [on prepayment, at special reduced price]. UK civilian registered as G-AMVX (CofR R3910/1) 11.12.52 to Hants & Sussex Aviation Ltd, Portsmouth Airport, Portsmouth, Hampshire. C of A issued 7.5.53. Registration G-AMVX cancelled/lapsed 16.5.53 and re-registered (C of R 3910/2) 5.6.53 to The London Aero Club Ltd (London Aeroplane Club), Panshanger, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Registration cancelled/lapsed 20.3.56 and then re-registered (C of R 3910/3) 4.4.56 to Ernest Edward Chick, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire & Walter Scott Ogilvie, Epping, Essex, t/as Light Plane Maintenance Services, Panshanger, Hertfordshire.

Crashed on landing Panshanger 23.6.56. Remains sold to Herts & Essex Aviation Ltd, Stapleford Tawney, Abridge, Essex by 10.56. Rebuilt and C of A renewed 24.6.58. Registration cancelled/lapsed 5.7.58 and re-registered (C of R 3910/4) on 8.7.58 to Crop Culture (Aerial) Ltd, Bembridge.

Withdrawn from use at Stapleford Tawney, Abridge, Essex (after accident in 1959?) prior to C of A lapse 30.12.59. C of A renewed 26.8.60. Registration G-AMVX cancelled 15.1.61 as "reduced to produce" (probably after further accident in late 1960?).

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.117 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft N1000-N9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.178
4. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AMVX.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p820.html
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
7. https://www.prints-online.com/royal-aeronautical-society/photographic-new-photographic-content/havilland-dh82a-tiger-moth-n6790-10632720.html
8. G-AMVX at Stapleford Tawney, Essex (EGSX) on 29/12/1956: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1377152
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Tangmere

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Feb-2021 15:35	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-Feb-2021 23:27	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
13-Feb-2021 23:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
19-Feb-2021 10:05	Gerard76	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Operator]
06-Oct-2021 23:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
06-Oct-2021 23:40	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
08-Oct-2021 21:59	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]