| Date: | Saturday 3 May 2025 |
| Time: | 19:23 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire IXT |
| Owner/operator: | Warbird Experiences Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BMSB |
| MSN: | CBAF.7722 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1943 |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce Merlin 266 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Lydd, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | London-Biggin Hill Airport (BQH/EGKB) |
| Lydd International Airport (LYX/EGMD) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
G-BMSB, a Supermarine Spitfire IXT, made a gear-up forced landing in a field after an engine failure, near Lydd, Kent. Both occupants are OK.
The aircraft had been flying for about 35 minutes when the pilot noticed a slight engine vibration. This was rapidly followed by a power loss. The pilot noted a distinct smell of fuel in the cockpit and suspected a fuel problem. He briefed his passenger and established a stable glide descent to carry out a wheels-up forced landing in a field. The aircraft landed on its underside and came to a stop. The passenger suffered minor injuries and the pilot was uninjured.
The power loss was caused by the failure, probably age related, of a gasket, fitted within the pressure switch for the fuel low pressure warning light, which is attached to the carburettor. This allowed pressurised fuel to spray into the lower rear part of the engine bay, above and into, the air filter box. The fuel was then drawn into the air flow affecting the fuel air mixture, so the engine was running extremely rich. This resulted in the engine vibration and subsequent power loss
 |
|
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/folkestone/news/spitfire-crash-lands-in-crop-field-323838/
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 25 June 2024 | G-BMSB | Warbird Experiences Ltd | 0 | London Biggin Hill Airport, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent | |
min |
| Pax door failure | ||||||
photo:AAIB
UPDATE: A flight company has confirmed no one was injured when a Spitfire crash-landed in a field pic.twitter.com/bCvI573ySM
— KentOnline (@Kent_Online) May 4, 2025
HYTHE update: Emergency services rushed to the scene of a crash-landed World War 2 Spitfire aircraft in West Hythe this evening. The pilot and passenger are not believed to have any injuries. The Spitfire was built in 1943. pic.twitter.com/y7jGlGZM4P
— Kent 999s (@Kent_999s) May 3, 2025
HYTHE: A Spitfire made a crash landing off Lower Wall Road in West Hythe this evening around 7pm. It happened after an unconfirmed report of engine failure. Video: Sharon Gooda. pic.twitter.com/ueQW0t2W3A
— Kent 999s (@Kent_999s) May 3, 2025
The Spitfire, MJ627, that made a precautionary landing in a field a couple of days back is lightly damaged according to the operator, @SpitfireBigginH, and will be back flying soon.
— James Shepard (@jumpjim) May 5, 2025
The aircraft was back on its undercarriage quickly following the event, and left by road shortly… pic.twitter.com/RC3YRsNcXH
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-May-2025 04:55 | Concordski | Added |
| 04-May-2025 05:52 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, ] |
| 04-May-2025 07:40 | ASN | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 04-May-2025 07:59 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 05-May-2025 06:23 | Concordski | Updated [Embed code, Category, ] |
| 10-May-2025 05:09 | yukipara3 | Updated [Embed code, Damage, ] |
| 10-Oct-2025 07:54 | ASN | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, Photo, ] |
| 10-Oct-2025 07:55 | ASN | Updated [Phase, Damage, ] |
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