Date:	Monday 5 April 2004
Time:	11:30 UTC
Type:	de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Myth Group
Registration:	G-APAM
MSN:	3874
Year of manufacture:	1939
Engine model:	Gipsy Major
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Radley Farm, Radley, Hungerford, Berkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Radley Farm, Radley, Hungerford, Berkshire
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 3874 (Gipsy Major #80817); Taken on charge as N6580 at 5 MU RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire 13.2.39. To 35 E&RFTS RAF Grangemouth 2.5.39. To 11 EFTS RAF Perth/Scone, Perthshire 15.10.39. To Taylorcraft, Rearsby, Leicestershire for repairs 29.2.41. To 4 EFTS RAF Brough, East Yorkshire 7.5.41 later coded "FHN-H". To 4 RFS RAF Brough, East Yorkshire 26.6.47 coded “RCN-G”. To 2 RFS RAF Barton, Eccles, Lancashire 6.5.48. To 7 RFS RAF Desford. Leicestershire 24.6.48. To 2 RFS RAF Barton, Eccles, Lancashire 29.9.48 coded “RCX-G”; later “11”. To 9 MU RAF Cosford, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire 18.2.53 for storage pending disposal.

Struck off charge when sold 21.9.53 to Association of British Aero Clubs. Roaded ex-Wolverhampton Aviation (Pendeford, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire) to Thruxton, Andover, Hampshire (pre-1.56). First UK civil registered as G-APAM (C of R R5933/1) 3.4.57 to The Wiltshire School of Flying Ltd, Thruxton, Andover, Hampshire (registered incorrectly as ex-"N6850"). Modified to Thruxton Jackaroo (type change notified 29.4.58) and first flown as such 28.10.59. C of A issued 29.10.59. Registration cancelled 29.10.59 and re-registered (C of R R5933/2) 9.11.59 to Shiela Scott, London SW3 (based at Thruxton, Andover, Hampshire); named "Myth". Owner moved address to Marble Arch, London W2 on 27.5.60.

Registration cancelled 8.5.64 and re-registered (C of R R5933/3) 25.5.64 to British Skydiving Ltd, Farnham, Surrey (aircraft remained based at Thruxton). Registration cancelled 7.10.65 and re-registered (C of R R5933/4) 13.10.65 to Malcolm Francis Ogilvie-Forbes, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Andover,Hampshire (aircraft remained based at Thruxton). Registration cancelled 27.11.67 and re-registered (C of R R5933/5) 21.3.68 to Ralph Jones, t/a Southern Sailplanes, Thruxton, later Membury. Damaged when nosed over Compton Abbas, Dorset 7.1.68; repaired and returned to service. CofA lapsed 3.2.73 and aircraft withdrawn from use.

Sold 1974 to Tim Williams. Rebuilt and first reflown 6.6.75. C of A renewed 13.8.75. Registration cancelled 25.6.75 and re-registered (C of R G-APAM/R6) 29.9.75 to Robert Pennell [Tim] Williams, trustee of the Myth Group, Denford Manor, Hungerford, Berkshire. Fitted with Gipsy Major #90361 [in 1979]. C of A lapsed 24.6.82; renewed 24.4.84. Converted to Tiger Moth at Hungerford 1986-88; first reflown as such 24.4.88. C of A lapsed 29.6.95; renewed 9.7.98.

Substantially damaged 5.4.2004 in a landing accident at Radley Farm, Radley, Hungerford, Berkshire. The pilot - the sole person on board - was uninjured. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:

"The pilot had planned to re-position his two aircraft from one private strip to another two miles away. The pilot described the meteorological conditions as blustery with showers, the prevailing surface wind was estimated to be westerly at 15-20 kt. The flight of the first aircraft, a Puss Moth, was uneventful and the cross wind component during that approach was about 45° from the right.

When attempting the subsequent landing in the Tiger Moth the aircraft drifted to the left just prior to touchdown. After touchdown the aircraft ran parallel with the runway centreline, about 2 metres from the left hand edge. As it slowed to about 10 mph a gust of wind lifted the right wing and the left wing contacted the ground. This caused the aircraft to turn to the left, the left main wheel ran into rough ground and the aircraft tipped onto its nose before coming to rest inverted.

With commendable honesty the pilot acknowledged that he should have noticed that the wind had increased and backed since his previous landing and recognises that the gust of wind occurred at a particularly vulnerable phase of the landing".

Nature of Damage to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Rear spar of the upper wing and rudder broken. Cowling dented and propeller broken".

Repaired and returned to service; aircraft based at Folly Farm, Hungerford, Berkshire. C of A replaced by Permit to Fly 4.9.14. Currently registered

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft N1000-N9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. The British Civil Aircraft Register G-APAA to G-APZZ (Bernard Martin, Air Britain, 1978 p.13)
3. AAIB Bulletin No: 6/2004 Ref: EW/G2004/04/05: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f4a840f0b61346000567/G-APAM_6-04.pdf
4. CAA History of G-APAM 1957-64: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-APAM-1.pdf
5. CAA History of G-APAM 1964-75: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-APAM-2.pdf
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p038.html
8. https://www.dhmothclub.co.uk/suppliers/sky-4-aviation/?service=airframe-restorations
9. Tiger Moth G-APAM various photos 1960-2018: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/G-APAM?f=&sort=date_taken_formatted&order=asc
10. https://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/SmithRon/10440.htm
11. https://metar-taf.com/airport/GB-0798

G-APAM as (Thruxton Jackaroo) at Cranfield, Bedfordshire in July 1982: G-APAM (as Tiger Moth) at Old Warden, Bedfordshire, 11.9.2021

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Sep-2008 10:37	JINX	Added
04-Jun-2012 13:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
02-Aug-2016 12:24	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
01-Feb-2022 02:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]