Date:	Friday 26 August 2022
Time:	c. 10:05 LT
Type:	Pitts S-1D
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-BOXV
MSN:	7-0433
Year of manufacture:	1984
Engine model:	Superior XP-IO-360-A1HC3
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Shobdon Airfield (EGBS), Leominster, Herefordshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Shobdon Airport (EGBS)
Destination airport:	Shobdon Airport (EGBS)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The experiential Pitts S-1D crashed at Shobdon Airfield (EGBS), near Leominster, Herefordshire, while engaged in aerobatics, killing the pilot.

During an aerobatic practice flight, G-BOXV was seen to enter a climbing vertical rolling manoeuvre from approximately 420ft above ground level. The aircraft yawed right at the top of the manoeuvre, which apexed at approximately 1,100ft above ground level. During this, an un-commanded autorotative right roll developed and the aircraft entered a steep nose-down spiral dive. As the pilot attempted to pull out of the ensuing dive, the aircraft experienced an accelerated stall and rolling departure to the right. At that point, there was insufficient height remaining in which to affect a safe recovery and the aircraft struck the ground. The pilot was fatally injured in the accident.

No causal or contributory technical issues were found during the post-accident examination of the aircraft. The investigation found that the entry conditions to the initial climbing manoeuvre gave little or no safety margin when the aircraft began to dynamically diverge from the expected flight path at the apex. Entering the manoeuvre with more height and/or speed would likely have increased the pilot’s chances of avoiding the loss of control and/or being able to recover from it safely.

This accident serves as a reminder that conducting low level acrobatics comes with inherent risks when manoeuvres do not proceed as expected. There is generic guidance for aerobatic pilots contained in the CAA Safety Sense Leaflet 19 titled ‘Aerobatics’".

Formerly N27882 (US Registry); first UK registered as G-BOXV 8 August 1988. The CAA de-registered the airframe (and cancelled the registration) on 18 November 2022 as "destroyed" and the registered owner's status "deceased".

1. AAIB Final Report dated 3-5-2023: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/643fd2258b86bb0013f1b51f/Pitts_S-1S_G-BOXV_06-23.pdf
2. https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=121990
3. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19626911/shobdon-airfield-plane-crash-pilot-man-50s-dies/
4. https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/regional-news/man-dies-plane-crash-herefordshire-7515055
5. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/20777132.pilot-killed-plane-crash-herefordshire-airfield/
6. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1660767/Herefordshire-aircraft-crash-Shobdon-Airfield-closed-emergency-injured-latest-updates]
7. West Mercia Police: https://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/west-mercia/news/2022/august/man-dies-following-light-aircraft-crash/
8. http://www.pittsdisplays.co.uk/gboxv-2/
9. https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-08-26/man-dead-after-light-aircraft-crash-in-herefordshire
10. https://yourherefordshire.co.uk/all/news/news-teddy-bears-picnic-event-at-shobdon-airfield-is-postponed-following-air-crash-that-left-one-man-dead/
11. https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/26/man-dies-after-plane-crashes-at-airfield-in-herefordshire-17250958/
12. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aaib-current-field-investigations/air-accidents-investigation-branch-current-field-investigations
13. FAA: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=27822
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shobdon_Aerodrome
15. Pilot's Obituary: https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/20863644.falklands-war-hero-named-herefordshire-airfield-crash-victim/

The AAIB has published a report into a fatal accident involving a Pitts S-1S (G-BOXV) that occurred during an aerobatic practice flight at Shobdon Airfield, Herefordshire on 26 August 2022. Read the report here: https://t.co/TmckwrMioE #AviationSafety

— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) May 3, 2023

A team of inspectors are on their way to Shobdon Airfield in Herefordshire to begin investigating an accident involving a light aircraft that occurred this morning. https://t.co/1ptiUNh3Cu pic.twitter.com/OVrdEG0BP4

— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) August 26, 2022

Very sad news to report this afternoonhttps://t.co/aels6EJT2k

— Gloucestershire Live (@GlosLiveOnline) August 26, 2022

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Aug-2022 11:49	harro	Added
26-Aug-2022 11:49	harro	Updated [Country, ]
26-Aug-2022 13:12	harro	Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2022 13:35	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2022 17:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Category, ]
26-Aug-2022 17:12	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2022 17:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
27-Aug-2022 07:59	Aerossurance	Updated [Narrative, ]
28-Aug-2022 02:12	johnwg	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Phase, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
28-Aug-2022 02:13	johnwg	Updated [Source, ]
28-Aug-2022 02:14	johnwg	Updated [Source, ]
29-Aug-2022 10:13	flyer88	Updated [Registration, Photo, ]
29-Aug-2022 10:14	harro	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Narrative, ]
29-Aug-2022 17:38	johnwg	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
31-Aug-2022 01:21	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
02-Sep-2022 22:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
02-Sep-2022 22:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
02-Oct-2022 19:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
06-May-2023 07:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated
06-May-2023 07:05	harro	Updated