Queensland Tiger Moth crash report.

A Preliminary Report has been released by the ATSB into the inflight break up of Tiger Moth VH-TSG.

The report finds fatigue cracking of the threaded area of the Fuselage Lateral Tie Rods, unfortunately at a significantly less Time In Service than the mandated 2000 flight hour or 18 years. 🙁

Photo from the ATSB:

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That company has operated since 1978.

I am not aware of the number of different aircraft that have been in service, but given the prevailing good weather, and the likelihood of many people wanting the aerobatic experience, the chance are any single airframe could accumulate very high aerobatic hours, more than in the UK (duff weather) and more even than when in military service, where they would most probably have various bashes and bangs, thus never getting the chance to serve for years and years.

As the saying goes, wait for the report.

Maybe not, but problems can manifest themselves over time in even the most common types, causing at the least inspections to be mandated, and possibly expensive rectification work too. Just look at the T-6 wing attach angle issue a few years back.

Tiger Moths have been operating safely for a great number of years . I don’t think there is any fault in the design.

Dreadful, and unusual. As the report intimates, Tiger Moth break-ups are hardly known.

Poor ‘Jim’ Rae never had a chance.

WOW!

Report available here :- www.atsb.gov.au/publication/investigation-reports/2013/aair/ao-213-226.aspx Also video evidence from on board camera.

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Ahh ,here now http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-226.aspx Investigation number: AO-2013-226

An in-flight structural failure cannot be good news for other operators of the type. 🙁