De Havilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A N41DH

Summary

On 17 October 2023 at about 20:30 local time, a De Havilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A registered N41DH was involved in an accident near Greeley, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 October 2023 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Greeley, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Greeley-Weld County (GXY)

Coordinates

40.4247, -104.6379

Aircraft

De Havilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A

Registration

N41DH

Category

Airplane

Year built

1941

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Colorado Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA015

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to turn out early during the initial climb and failure to maintain adequate airspeed/angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with airport hangars. Contributing to the accident was the variable wind conditions above the hangars and the pilot’s lack of awareness of those conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and pilot-rated-passenger intended to complete a personal cross-country flight with variable wind about 6 knots at the departure airport. The pilot noted the windsock nearest the airplane indicated a tailwind, but the other windsocks farther down the runway indicated a headwind or crosswind. During takeoff, the airplane became airborne faster than expected and climbed well, so the pilot made an early right turn over airport hangars. The airplane’s upper wing slats fluttered which indicated to the pilot that the airspeed was low, then they “came out hard,” which indicated the airplane was near a stall. The pilot ensured the throttle was full forward and decreased pitch attitude to maintain airspeed but felt like the airplane “was being forced down.” Unable to maintain altitude, and with no suitable forced landing area, he maneuvered the airplane to collide with the side of a hangar and the ground, then it nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Airport surveillance video showed the airplane at low altitude and appeared to climb until it overflew airport hangars. The airplane maintained a climb pitch attitude as it descended into the hangars.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.