ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 146582
Last updated: 19 June 2013
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| Date: | 01-JUL-2012 |
| Time: | 09:45 LT |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird |
| Operator: | Shuttleworth Coll. - Richard Shuttleworth Trustees |
| Registration: | G-EBHX |
| C/n / msn: | 98 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Old Warden Airfield - EGTH, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | EGTH |
| EGTH |
The vintage de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird prototype crashed during a flight test at 9:45, 3 hours before an airshow organized by The Shuttleworth Collection, Shuttleworth Old Warden Park at Old Warden Airfield - EGTH (see note), Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.
The pilot was taken to hospital where he later died.
Conclusion:
The aircraft departed from controlled flight for reasons that could not be fully determined. Technical failure of the aircraft and pilot incapacitation were considered, but ruled out as causal factors. Given the prevailing weather conditions and the challenging operating/handling characteristics of the aircraft, it is considered that the most probable cause of the accident was handling related.
Note:
Old Warden Airfield - EGTH, formerly an aerodrome, that had a "grass circle" to make take offs and landings by each wind direction possible, instead of an airfield which has runways of grass and/or asphalt pavements with fixed directions) Old Warden Airfield - EGTH was former known with ICAO LID EG44. After the closure of Hatfield - EGTH, the LID code was re-issued and taken over by Old Warden.
The accident involved the DH.53 prototype (1 built) was the last airworthy example of the DH.53 series. After this unique DH.53 prototype passed his trials the aeroplanes were named (including prototype c/n 98) as the DH.53 Humming Bird (and only 14 more were built).
Sources:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/bulletins/march_2013/de_havilland_dh53_humming_bird__g_ebhx.cfm
http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2012-07-01/pilot-dies-after-crash-at-airshow/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-18664332
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/01/vintage-aircraft-in-serio_n_1640977.html
http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77772
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/4/3/2/0455234.jpg (photo)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Jul-2012 06:39 | saf7670 | Added |
| 01-Jul-2012 07:42 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Jul-2012 08:28 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Jul-2012 09:19 | JINX | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator] |
| 01-Jul-2012 10:15 | harro | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Jul-2012 16:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Jul-2012 16:12 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 02-Jul-2012 12:52 | 79.69.200.83 | Updated [Narrative] |
| 02-Jul-2012 12:53 | harro | Updated [Narrative] |
| 08-Sep-2012 15:35 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 14-Mar-2013 19:08 | harro | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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