Ryde Tiger Moth crash - November 1950

On 7 November 1950 a Tiger Moth on a flight in connection with navigation trials crashed at High Park Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight killing both the pilot and passenger.

The Tiger Moth had taken off from the Royal Navy Air Station, Gosport in connection with navigation trials. A witness at Ryde Airport, and another at Smallbrook, reported that the aircraft appeared to be doing aerobatics over Elmfield. At the top of a loop the aircraft flipped on to its back, stalled, and rapidly lost height. Control appeared to have been regained at about 500 feet and another loop commenced but at the top of that loop the aircraft stalled and came down nose first. The engine came on full power at about 300 feet but that was too low and the aircraft crashed killing the pilot, a Lieut. from RNAS Gosport, and the passenger, an aircraft service engineer employed by Westland Aircraft Company on detachment to the RNAS, Gosport.

At the inquest questions were raised as to whether the aircraft was actually carrying out aerobatics or if it was having problems. Questions were also raised whether the aircraft was configured with dual flight controls, and, if so, whether the passenger could have tried to take control and prevented the pilot from safely controlling the aircraft. No conclusion was reached for either suggestion, but each was thought possible.

The inquest jury return a verdict of accidental death, cause unknown. They added a rider that in future when a Service aircraft was taken out with a civilian passenger, steps should be taken to disconnect the dual control.