NZ Spitfire bent [again - 3rd time]

[Invader26]

The two seat Spitfire IX fell on its face again today at Ardmore I believe. This is its third accident! mmmmmm

[Sopwith]

That's a pity ,they don't seem to be having a lot of luck with that Spitfire.Anyone hurt?

[JDK]

No injuries reported.

[Sopwith]

No injuries reported.

Thanks James at least thats a bit of good news

[marine air]

I think I posted something critical the first time it got damaged. It takes more than "good luck" to have safe flying.

[Dragonflydh90]

Fairly minor by all accounts, soft ground with strong trailing wind, tipped on its nose whilst taxiing.

[JDK]

Not to keep dragging this to the top, but just a bit of reliable data via Dave Homewood's excellent forum (for all your Kiwi aviation news). http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?

"I have just had a call from an insider at Ardmore who has given me the story as it actually occurred and has asked me to post it. This has apparently been sanctioned by Avspecs staff to be posted here to clear up the rumours and innuendo from the armchair experten.

Firstly there was NO groundloop.

I am told that Doug Brooker had landed fine, and was taxiing on the hard taxiway. He was aware there was a line up of aircraft behind him so he decided to pull off the taxiway onto the grass to let them go by, out of courtesy.

The grass was boggier than he expected, the wheels bogged down and the aircraft simply tipped gently onto its nose, possibly aided by the wind.

Three propeller blades were broken as they impacted the soft ground, damaged beyond repair. The fourth has a ding probably from debris off the other blades. The Avspecs team are not even that sure they need to strip the engine to check its shockloading and will make a decision very soon. It may just mean sourcing replacement blades, fitment and back to flight.

This is an unfortunate incident that could have happened to anyone in a tail dragger. End of story."

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?bo ... 544&page=3

[Dave Hadfield]

Yes, I've landed in the grass at Ardmore, although in a Tiger Moth.

It can be quite damp there. It was explained to me that the whole airport is resting on a deep layer of ancient peat.

And the Spit is of course quite nose-heavy. Where other fighters can taxi through a mud-hole, as is sometimes the case at (for example) Geneseo, a Spit should not.

In fact last time we had the VWoC Spit there, the taxi-area was rough enough that we had a volunteer sit on the elevator, like they did in Normany in the winter of 1944-45.

Dave

[Adam Kline]

Well, the lesson here is let everyone wait. Everybody is too nice in NZ.

Adam Kline