View Full Version : Tiger Moth down in Bethlehem
African
19th Dec 2007, 14:55
Just heard from an eyewitness that a Tiger Moth that took off from Bethlehem in the Free State crashed. Looks like a deceptive downwind turn caught the pilot unaware and it spun in and burnt. Apparently one occupant no survivors.
Goffel
20th Dec 2007, 18:17
Does anyone have any names on who the pilot was and where he/she was from.
I believe it was in the downwind turn that he/she went down.
Plane burnt out on impact....not nice.
Goffel.
ODGUY
20th Dec 2007, 22:50
Video of the accident.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ade_1198119272
Avi8tor
21st Dec 2007, 02:57
My condolence to the family of the man involved. A sad loss.
I have a lot of time in a Tiger and I have never seen anything like that. A very scary incident indeed. Unfortunately where the aircraft enters the spin is a little far from the camera. But it would seem he is in a medium level turn at high power. If I was guessing, he was accelerating for a fly past.
If you look at the windsock in the vid clip, it would seem the wind was not that strong. I know there are hills around that airfield that can cause some turbulence.
Anybody have any ideas here?
Africrash
21st Dec 2007, 06:10
Not to make assumptions before the report, but the Tiger is light, very low innertia, high drag, and inclined to fly out of ballance with very little provocation, could be a case of trying to turn too hard and soon for a flypast a bit out of ballance and the plane will drop speed fast and bite pretty hard.
the Tiger is easy to fly, hard to fly well and does not tollerate mishandling.
Rest in Peace.
T
ODGUY
21st Dec 2007, 09:45
Not commenting on this accident. RIP to the pilot.
Speed and angle of attack. Usually it's the low speed + high angle of attack, which leads to stall/spin scenario. Too low to the ground to recover.
Avi8tor
21st Dec 2007, 16:37
Not sure on the pilot's experience on old biplanes. I agree with all of the above. HUGE induced drag on a Tiger as soon as you pull hard. Also gets out of balance VERY easy. I stress all of the above on a conversion, normally with a demonstration.
But there is NOTHING to suggest any of that. The aircraft was in a steady medium level turn with power on.