Mary M'dear,
I am happy to look at what happened with decent observation, but a press report based on the observations of a 19 year old non pilot and a statement by the pilots own company is, IMHO, hardly a credibly basis to start from - as someone that regularly aeros a vintage dH aircraft as part of my work I do know something of what is involved here and hence the contributions I have made and my disappointment in your own comments about aeros in said aircraft!
My own criteria BTW - Overhead a suitable area for a forced landing ( I will already know which field before I start) and, unless actually over an airfield, sufficient height (3,000+) to have tried a dive restart and recovered in time to set myself up to land in said field in the event of not restarting. I know this works as I have had to use it in the past, both with and without successfully restarting ! With less currency than I manage, I would suggest a greater height than this (4,000'+?). When I have had the prop stop it has never been off a loop, always off a stall turn, and if doing this for any reason then I use 4,000' as a minimum myself.
What the pilot in this incident had as his own criteria and how he ended where he did we do not know and have few proper clues for!
Last edited by foxmoth; 14th Aug 2013 at 06:12.