At about 1200 hours on Tuesday 2 January 1996 the pilot commenced a take-off on vector 29 at Wanaka Aerodrome, in Mark 14 Spitfire ZK-XIV. During the take-off the aircraft swung to the right, diverged from the grass vector, and became airborne but the tail caught the aerodrome boundary fence. The aircraft rolled to the right and struck the ground inverted. The pilot was seriously injured in the accident.