Replica Spitfire accident at Watts Bridge 29/8/15

[Dora-9]

I witnessed the last half of this accident sequence; I heard the impact and saw the aircraft sliding off the runway on its belly. Fortunately the pilot was uninjured although the aircraft appeared quite badly damaged.

I was subsequently nonplussed to find that this was the lead item on Channel Nine's 6pm News; using such emotive phrases as "the aircraft plunged from the sky" and "the crowd fled in panic". Oh, come on Ch 9! Given the degree of damage (aircraft intact although much distortion/rippled skin evident) it can't possibly have "plunged" and I saw no evidence of people running away in terror - quite the opposite in fact.

Yet another example of the media getting it all wrong?

[tail wheel]

wsuhyeA_tTk

....................................

[Warped Wings]

Looks more like he dropped a wing on take off and closed the throttle when it became obvious things were turning pear shaped.

[aldee]

Looks to have pitched up quite aggressively & dropped a wing, bloody good outcome all considered:eek:

[Capt Fathom]

I have to get one of those high vis vests! :E

[Dora-9]

Interesting video, thank you. Looking repeatedly, I think Warped Wings' and Aldee's version of events are probably correct.

It was the sound of the power being chopped that got my attention, so I only saw the events from then on. I was standing on the fenceline perhaps 30m upwind of where the aircraft came to rest (gulp).

Actually I thought the ground handlers/marshallers did a good job throughout the day, and starred here. Certainly the fire brigade were quickly in attendance.

Still can't reconcile this with the Channel Nine reporting...

[Ausflyer_68]

Looking at the video it looks like asymmetric flaps has been the issue here.

[arawa]

Cannot agree more re possible cause.
A few bits of info regarding the Spitfire replica from a VERY reliable source.
The owner only had it 2 or 3 weeks, but was expierienced.
There is no true dual control trainer, as there is a weight C of G problem with pax in back seat, above a certain weight.
The aircraft has a nasty envelope corner regarding stall/ spin, which needs to be respected, as with Gympie accident in same type....think it was a base to final stall/spin.
And since this is a rumour network, there is a rumor, not confirmed, that the airframe type cannot be insured, but obviously there would be a pax/ground liability available.
Shame it happened, as the replica looked good , but nobody was seriosly hurt , the pilot was home that night, and the " men in orange jackets" did a great job after the incident.
Looked like PB leading the charge.

[Stanwell]

What was it?
Supermarine Aircraft, English Engineering or what?
Can someone advise, please.

[jas24zzk]

Only posting to try to learn something.

I've watched the video over and over looking for the things people have mentioned in comments.
I won't bother tagging people....

1st comment of note, was "Looks to have pitched up quite aggressively & dropped a wing"

Appears to me the aircraft has actually become airborne in the 3 point attitude, and then dropped the wing. I just can't see a pitch up, which would validate a stall spin.

2nd Comment " Looking at the video it looks like asymmetric flaps has been the issue here."

From the video, there is ZERO evidence to support this, other than the aircraft's behaviour once becoming airborne. Even the replica use the original split type flap which from the angles in the video makes then invisible, until the final few seconds when the aircraft comes to final rest, and no flaps are down. yes it may have been torn off.

On a positive, the pilot can come in here and tell us what happened. Kudo's to him, he realised it was going pear shaped and opted out.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Oh dear, where's Plankie when you need him? He'd have this one sorted quick smart! :E

Dr :8

[Ultralights]

lift off in 3 pointer attitude, low airspeed, throw in a bit of P factor and torque effect. aircraft has un-commanded roll to the right, pilot pulls power and slides to a stop. :confused:

[Pseudonymn]

This video shows it more clearly.

8AhBrUoA7_E

[josephfeatherweight]

Holy crap - the crowd is very lucky he cut the power when he did - I think that was a very good move. Perhaps he misread the ASI and lifted off a tad early or there was a control/trim issue for it to get airborne too soon... I assume these things normally don't take off from the "3-pointer" position?

[Stanwell]

Apropos my earlier question, (post #9), having now seen the much clearer video posted by Pseudonymn, it appears to be a Supermarine Aircraft Mk26.
Would that be correct?

[aldee]

How right you are Jaz, bit hard to see clearly behind the T28 viewed on an I Pad, shoulda kept my thoughts to meself

[Squawk7700]

Hard to tell but it doesn't look like much left aileron unless I'm mistaken....?

[Arm out the window]

Looked like he had full left aileron in pretty much as soon as it started rolling right, from what I could see - good actions with closing the throttle and pancaking it back down. As for the cause of the roll, interesting to find out what went on. It seemed like a fairly smooth affair rather than an abrupt wing drop.

[spinex]

Screenshots tell the story, I reckon;

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b550/Carling113/spit%20watts2_zps4vrbwjzf.png

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b550/Carling113/spit%20watts3_zpsawmrqvps.png

[Dora-9]

Top screen shot - is that RIGHT rudder input (note the position of the balance horn)?

[Jungmeister]

This happened about 18 months ago at Parafield:
http://https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-051.aspx (https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-051.aspx)

[Squawk7700]

Re my comment, I realise that left aileron is being applied, it's just the ailerons don't appear to move much it seems... Probably typical for a high speed aircraft.

[Lookleft]

Top screen shot - is that RIGHT rudder input (note the position of the balance horn)?

I think your are spot on D9. It looks like he is physically leaning to the left to get the left wing down and has quite possibly put pressure on the right rudder pedal. A bit like John Denver reaching over his left shoulder to change fuel tanks on his final flight. He did well though to cut the power and just put it on the ground before it got too far.

[AerocatS2A]

At the very start of his take-off roll, it looks like the left flap is down but right isn't. Or is the right just lost in the shadows?

[Dexta]

What looks like to be the left flap down is actually the left radiator, as the aircraft moves past you can see it move into perspective.

[Dog One]

The evidence presented in the two photos show right rudder and left aileron being applied.The ailerons would not have been very effective due to the low speed. This leads to auto rotation, where applying left aileron causes a roll to the right. This was the method used to spin DHC1 Chipmunks. The photos show that it was past recovering and the pilot did the right thing in closing the throttle.

[rioncentu]

Yeah makes all the training to keep one's hand on the throttle during takeoff come into perspective. A half second delay in the chop might have meant the chop for some poor folks on the sideline.

[Lookleft]

I think the left aileron would have been a lot more effective if the right rudder had not been applied! I doubt the pilot was aware of what was happening with the rudder in the brief moment he had to try and comprehend why it wasn't responding to left control column input.

[no_one]

I cant make it out from the video but could it be that being an auto conversion with a PSRU the prop turns the opposite direction to a lycoming/continential. I wonder how familiar the pilot was with the aircraft.

Or a control lock still in place?

Or just low performance pilot in high performance aircraft?

[IFEZ]

Not that I'm any expert with Spitfires (far from it!) but every time I've seen them take off, they accelerate to level attitude ie tail wheel well off the ground and then lift off. Looks like he let it get off the ground too early, too slow, tail wheel still on the ground hence high nose attitude and lost it. Did well to recognise a bad situation and pull the pin before it got a whole lot worse.

[Ultralights]

tip stall.. research it. especially with elliptical wings.

[PA39]

The left wing shows more lift at lift off, I would agree with asymmetric flap problem.

[Stanwell]

The only observation I can make is that he didn't (couldn't ?) get the tail up to reach proper Vr.

[Andy_RR]

Misapplication of all that Merlin power, obviously...

[jas24zzk]

It's blurry, and you only get a brief look.

Take a look at the video Pseudonym posted on Page one. You have a 1 second window to look at the back view, almost square on before the video goes blurry again.

Revising my thoughts on the initial video....not quite convinced, but all the same.

[spinex]

jas24zzk I'm intrigued as to what you see in that section of the video - I've had another look and the flap (s) may be drooping slightly in the rear view - frankly though, I suspect my own flaps and a few other bits would be drooping a little after a bang like that :eek:, so I'm not sure you can read too much into it.

[Oakape]

It appears the the roll commences just before lift off, with the left wheel leaving the runway first & the roll continuing through out the accident sequence.

[Dog One]

Was there a cross wind?

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I know nothing about this aircraft. Is it a real Spitfire or some sort of pretend Spitfire?

If real or close to, is torque roll likely to be an issue? The right wing going down suggests the possibility.

Dr :8

[spinex]

One of the 80% scale, home brewed ones. Not sure about this one, but the normal powerplant is an Isuzu V6 allegedly good for a bit over 300 gee gees. Not too bad for 800kg odd, but well short of Messrs Rolls and Royce's effort.

[AerocatS2A]

What looks like to be the left flap down is actually the left radiator, as the aircraft moves past you can see it move into perspective.

I think you are right , thanks.

[Dora-9]

Was there a cross wind?

Very light winds all day.

[Acrosport II]

I hope he repairs the plane. Great to see such aircraft flying.

[Attack Fighter 2]

The engine rotates clockwise viewed from the rear so the P factor would cause it to turn left not right. Same with the torque

[Attack Fighter 2]

P factor and torque effect would require right rudder trim