Spitfire ML407 mishap

If I were a betting man – which I’m not!!

I would say it was easier to dismantle, on site, and road out. Once the AAIB had released it back to the operators. 

Don’t underestimate the amount of work required to get it back in the air. All must have been completed before the AAIB/CAA would allow it to take to the skies again. If you look at the video, carefully, you can see a shock wave run throu’ the airframe as the tail wheel hits the ground. The pilot and pax would have felt it. Hence the requirement, in my view, for a heavy landing check.

“Back at base” would provide weather proof facilities, power for lighting etc and easy access to dedicated support equipment as well as tooling to carry out the required checks. There is no doubt the support team techies had to work long hours – as I said before.

OOPs I forgot – the engine frame is designed to support the weight of the engine not the entire weight of the airframe and two persons. Having supported the airframe for a few moments it then saw the weight twist through 90 degrees as the airframe dropped backwards onto its three “legs”. Removing the engine and fitting a spare (if they had one) would have allowed access to the frame for inspection and negate the need for a shock loading check on an in-use engine. If they didn’t have a spare a shock load check would have been required. 

As an avionics engineer that is about the limit of my knowledge.

A great outcome, considering it was flying just a couple of weeks later.

Anyone know how they got it out? ie wings off and trailer or repairs done there and flown out, a short strip, is it long enough for a spit to take off?

Better to be on the ground and go through the far hedge at 30 miles per hour than stall her or come up short and go through the near hedge at 100 miles per hour! Clearly made the very best of a tough situation. Kudos. 

I won’t claim to be a pilot because I am not, but that sounds like the least worst choice.

it was that or a wheels-up in a field of unknown quantity, or that huge lake beside it

Indeed, Hypersonic. I can’t imagine that the pilot chose a strip that short without a real need, so from here it  looks as though they made the best of a very sticky situation, plus a bit of luck. 

I think I’ll retract what I said at 13 May 24 # 21.09. It looks like he turned to the right to avoid the hedge. Having tipped it up on its nose and then fall backwards onto its three “legs” was very lucky – it could have gone right over and finished upside down!!

The techies must have worked their socks off to get it back in the air so soon – new prop, engine change / or engine shock load check and a heavy landing check all required.

However, the AAIB must have cleared it for active duty. Post those checks and repairs.

Crikey , that’s a bit more than a bump by the looks of it, he did well if it was that much of an emergency. Hope the passenger wasn’t put off but in the light of the BBMF incident as well, not a good time.

Seeing as the cat is now out of the ‘internet bag’,  this video shows what was discussed.
It was GoPro footage from a light aircraft waiting to take off at the small strip at Pitsford reservoir, very close to Sywell.

https://x.com/richardmaber/status/1797916350574153923

I know it’s f/b but looks like she has been back with passengers, shame not over the D Day memorials    https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=424337463694960&set=gm.10169726707…

No airframe damage from what I could see, engine and prop change along with a spinner. A good result Id say getting in that strip

Amazing news seems to be that the aeroplane is back in the air the for D-Day Anniversary, just 4 weeks after the, well, you have to say, crash. Having seen the video of it lobbing into the tiny strip near Sywell, and the result, that is  a remarkable come-back.

No doubt AAIB will explain all.  Some lessons are learnt the (very) hard way. 

I would think they have a spare Merlin to go in and a spare prop from somewhere to get them out of trouble. big earnings loss sitting on the ground.

If it had been a wheels up, that would be different , with gear doors and radiator cowls 

Indeed, Paul. 

Such a shame for it to happen so closed to D-Day anniversary, given ML407’s actions on the day it woukd have been good to have seen her over Normandy again on June 6th 2024.

Hopefully she will be airborne again before too long.

… and a considerably happier end to their authentic WW2 experience than some of those flying with US operators have had,  thank goodness. 

As an aside,  does anyone remember the tale of the ex-Luftwaffe who visited Bath for the 60th anniversary of the Baedeker raid, was taken for a flight over the city, and the engine failed? I recall the pilot said “He was much calmer than me, he said he’d had plenty in his time”, but I did have a mental image of him thinking “Sixty years and still they want their revenge!”

Will be an easy one.

Everything done correctly, everything put in place for this situation, perfectly carried out

Walk away and the passenger has some story to tell.

In some respects little info, in the public domain, means no serious injuries. There is nothing I have seen, or heard, to suggest this is likely to be a complex case.

The AAIB Initial Report should be issued within a few months – with the Final Report not long afterwards.

I have just checked the AAIB W/Site – it was last updated 26 Mar 24. So out of timescale.

Flights tend to be around 30 minutes.

I’m due to take a flight and was contacted last week to say that there had been an incident.  They wouldn’t tell me any more than that. I’ve also been checking FR24 to see if any flights have taken place since. I’ve been checking Google almost daily to try and find out what happened.