Spitfire Crashes at Ardmore - Again...

[S.E.A.L.11]

Seems the spitty groundlooped and ended up with the nose kissing the ground...again...same pilot, same location. :sad:

Deja vu..?

See: http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/358124-spitfire-crash-masterton.html

[c100driver]

Oh dear, wonder it it is insured and if so does our insurance go up again?

A1228/11 FROM: 09 JUN 2011 22:42 TO: 13 JUN 2011 23:00 EST
GRASS RWY 03/21 CLSD DUE SFC COND


Not sure the Spit was designed for tar seal surfaces!

[Konev]

http://assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/GifGuide/clapping/busey_clapping.gif

[slackie]

From the NZ Herald (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10731880)

[remoak]

"It wasn't his fault, but a strong wind came in behind him and just tipped him on to his nose." Mr Brown said the pilot was not injured and the aircraft was not damaged.

Not damaged? I find that hard to believe.

As for "not his fault"... the mind boggles.

[Nigel Osborn]

I remember during WW2, it was quite common for a WAAF to sit astride the fuselage to keep the tail down when taxying. However it had to happen! The pilot took off forgetting about the girl & complained of a CG problem & requested an immediate return. He was invited to make a very gentle circuit so the girl could hop off!:ugh:

[NoseGear]

I've seen the picture, "not damaged"....? Looking at the prop blades bent 90deg would suggest otherwise, so I guess that's a(nother) bulk strip coming up.:rolleyes: And why would you taxi a Spitfire, or any other type, on such wet grass? Its been hammering down here of late, the grass runways are closed, so what on earth was he doing on the grass?:ugh::{ Maybe there is a rational explanation?

[Wallsofchina]

Nigel's got it. Forgotten skills, gravity is still the same as it was in 1941

[remoak]

Ask Dave Brown of Christian Aviation, he seems to have all the answers...

[mattyj]

Wooden prop and low rpm..I don't think it "officially" requires a bulk strip..maybe just a boroscope

[NZFlyingKiwi]

Saw it in the hangar today as I taxied past, "not damaged" is definitely being optimistic, but "less damaged than last time" appears to be an accurate assessment, at least cosmetically.

[NoseGear]

A Constant Speed, 4 bladed, bent at 90 deg "wooden" prop...? Seriously? I guess I just had it in my head it was a metal prop.:oh::confused:

[LocoDriver]

I taxied past the Spit whilst it was on the grass.
The prop blades looked bent well back to me, ....I am sure wood would not do that. ?

[mattyj]

its a TR IX..mark nines have a four bladed laminated wooden rotol prop..

promise..look at photo 2..

Doug Brooker's Spitfire - Photos - Graeme Hill - Weekend Hosts - RadioLIVE (http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Doug-Brookers-Spitfire/tabid/432/articleID/13100/Default.aspx#1)


back me up spitfire experts..?!

[Bastardos]

Yes, four bladed wooden prop. The baldes are manufactured in Germany. The cost of the last lot was $40k per blade I recall...

[Shredder6]

Possibly a bit of prop precesion with a small gust up the ar$e at the wrong time, poor control positioning.

It's never one factor.

Tight turn with high power (small wheels, soft grass) aircraft has tendency to pitch forward (therefore tail up) or back depending on direction of turn and prop rotation.

He should go and do a few circuits in a Cub before getting back to the Spitfire!

[remoak]

Yeah it's far more likely that the aircraft stopped abruptly when taxied over soft ground. Oh look, a NOTAM saying the grass runway is closed due surface conditions... now I wonder what that means... :(

What a eff-wit. Don't let him fly it again!

Spits are quite happy on tarmac surfaces, ask the chaps at Duxford. Just land into wind.

[chute packer]

Its his Spitfire, he paid for it, therefore he can fly or crash it however he wants. When you get your own you can do the same.

[remoak]

Does that mean that if I could afford to buy the Mona Lisa, I should be allowed to cut it up for confetti?

If you don't understand the concept of moral responsibility as applied to classic aircraft, you are just another bogan...

[mattyj]

scratch a bogans 65 thunderbird with left hand drive..in gloss black with orange flame and he'll cry for a minute, then cut you bad dude..priorities! :*

[remoak]

Well true, but bogans shouldn't be allowed to have 65 T-Birds either! :}

[LocoDriver]

Just to clarify one point.... the grass runway was closed, the Spit landed on the seal, it came to grief on the grass between the seal and the taxiway... after it cleared the runway to taxi back. This grass was open.....

cheers

[mattyj]

maybe it got stuck in the wheel ruts the mustang made doing the same thing a couple of years ago:rolleyes:

[remoak]

I suppose the main point is that the damage isn't severe and the old girl will live to fly another day... wherever the fault may or may not lie...