Spitfire Mk.19 crashed at Biggin Hill

**Prodromoi** · 08-02-2015 01:42

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/avia...ing-power.html

Reportedly the pilot is OK, but the machine is badly damaged.

A Spitfire has crashed after the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Biggin Hill Airport after it lost power after take off.
The Second World War fighter plane was "badly damaged" in the crash, according to a statement from Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar Ltd, supporters club, while emergency services said one man received minor injuries.
A Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar Ltd statement said: "Spitfire MK912 this afternoon suffered a loss of power after takeoff and forced landed back on the airfield. The aircraft is badly damaged but pilot Dan Griffith carried out a text book forced landing and is OK."

**Flying Helmut** · 08-02-2015 03:55

Glad the pilot is O.K.
The picture appears to show the plane partially upside down!

**Jager** · 08-02-2015 06:12

yes, good news about the pilot.
Dang, that's 2 Spitfires down now

Karl

**Albert_Ball** · 08-02-2015 08:19

That's sad but I'm glad the pilot is ok

**flash** · 08-02-2015 09:53

Think he's done well to get out of that reasonably intact - not so good for the aircraft though by the looks of it.

**Guntruck** · 08-02-2015 14:48

Media reports have said it can be rebuilt. Not surprised given some of the basket cases that have been returned to the air. Glad the pilot walked away.

**csadn** · 08-02-2015 16:25

This has not been a good weekend for British Aviation....

**gully_raker** · 08-02-2015 16:35

Drat another Spit out of action. Sounds like the pilot did a top job & really glad he walked away with only minor injuries.

**Dan-Sam** · 08-02-2015 22:43

Huh, nothing easy to fly such warbeast like Spitfire...

Good that pilot is OK.

**Marechallannes** · 08-03-2015 01:19

Did anyone see the Messerschmitt that shot the Spit down?

Sad thing to see such a beauty crashed down. Anyways the pilot survived.

**Archidamus** · 08-03-2015 02:41

Glad the pilot is OK - lets hope that the Spit can be repaired asap

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 06:07

This Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX (G-BRRA on the civil register) has previously suffered a Cat III accident and bounced back into service when in service with the Belgian Air Force. It currently wears D-Day markings and the Ident Lettering SH-L. Let us hope that this aircraft has a few lives attached to it despite the new damage inflicted upon it and can be returned to the air at some point. This was not a replica Spitfire this time - it was a real LF Mk IX which Civil Aircraft Markings has down as owned and operated by P M Andrews.

Despite the damage the pilot did very well IMHO to set the aircraft down as he did. Biggin Hill is a nasty one in terms of just how quickly you run out of options with built up areas now so close by when faced with any single engine aircraft type emergency. The largest aircraft operated out of Biggin Hill on a regular basis are all corporate jets although I have known of a Fokker 50 Turboprop landing there when diverted away from nearby London City Airport.

Whoever said earlier on that this has not been a good weekend for British Historic Aviation - how tragically true. I agree

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 08-03-2015 08:06

So the pilot joins the few living people who can say that they walked away from a genuine Spitfire crash. Lucky chap, but unfortunately not so lucky for the Aircraft or the people who try to keep such iconic pieces of history in the air. As you chaps say, let us hope that this one can be returned to an airworthy condition.
Rob.

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 10:28

Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte

As you chaps say, let us hope that this one can be returned to an airworthy condition.

My worry is not this previously lucky aircraft being restored structurally - this is looking like another Cat III which is what it suffered before in Belgium. OFMC at Duxford (Old Flying Machine Company) could possibly carry out such a repair although it will not happen overnight.

My worry is the insurance cost to keep the aircraft in the air for it's owner / operator should he choose to go ahead and have this Spitfire restored ... It may well prove to be prohibitive. This is the sad thing about this one being an Original LF Mk IX and not a replica like the Mk 26 which put down without it's undercarriage near Peterborough just recently. That Mk 26 will be restored quite easily by the sounds of things and back in the air with a heightened insurance cost certainly if the landing gear failure is found to be the fault of the owner(s) / operator(s) ... This accident will be MK912's second Cat III as an Original Build airframe and only one owner / operator is registered for this aircraft.

On paper it would be wonderful to see MK912 fully restored to an airworthy condition. But in practice I am not so sure sadly ...

But what has been absolutely amazing to learn of today is what OFMC at Duxford is capable of along with what they have restored to an airworthy condition in the past