Pilot dies in Spitfire replica crash during final test flight

Trevor Bailey, an experienced pilot, tragically died on August 22, 2023, during the 20th test flight of a replica Spitfire named Molly, which crashed in Enstone, Oxfordshire. The flight aimed to test new stall strips designed to prevent the plane from dipping to the right during stalling, a problem Bailey had previously reported. Eyewitnesses noted that after successfully completing two stalls, the aircraft went into a shallow spiral dive instead of recovering on the third stall. An inquest revealed that Bailey died from a traumatic brain injury, and evidence indicated he would have been unaware of the crash due to the instantaneous nature of his injuries. The inquest is ongoing, with a jury hearing testimonies, including from a volunteer who helped build the aircraft. This incident follows another fatal crash involving a different pilot in a similar aircraft at the same airfield nearly a year later.