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Damyns Hall Aerodrome: Pilot crashed in training for limbo stunt

AAIB Crashed planeAAIB
The pilot was attempting to fly under bunting as part of display team training when the incident happened

A pilot on his second training session with a display team crashed as he tried to fly under bunting about 20ft (6m) above the ground, a report said.

He sustained serious injuries in the incident at Damyns Hall Aerodrome, near Aveley, Essex, on 16 October.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it was likely the pilot thought he was "slightly high" as he approached the "limbo" and "pitched down".

The flying club added additional training to prevent similar incidents.

AAIB Where the crash happenedAAIB
The pilot sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital before being discharged 72 hours later

The display team was completing introductory training for new pilots when the incident happened.

The new team members observed the "limbo" manoeuvre being carried out by three other pilots before attempting it themselves.

The new pilots were also separately briefed by the display leader about how to fly the stunt.

The manoeuvre was performed successfully by the new pilots twice before the incident.

The two new pilots then switched their formation positions before performing the stunt again.

The first two aircraft passed under the bunting successfully before the third aircraft crashed.

AAIB Plane crashingAAIB
The crash happened less than one second after the pitch change

The report by the AAIB said the Rollason Druine D.31 Turbulent "struck the ground with sufficient force to break the main spar".

The wings then folded upwards before the remains of the aircraft came to rest inverted on the grass.

The pilot, who sustained serious head injuries and was released from hospital after 72 hours, said he was not certain what happened during the incident.

But he thought he felt the aircraft was too high and "instinctively pitched forward".

The pilot said his "considerable experience on helicopters may have caused him to make a control input more suitable for a helicopter rather than the Turbulent".

The flying club conducted an internal review after the incident and now require new pilots to practise flying along the runway at low level before flying under the bunting.

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