ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 140561
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| Date: | Wednesday 21 May 1930 |
| Time: | 16:25 |
| Type: |  De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Bryant House Airways |
| Registration: | G-EBZY |
| MSN: | 806 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Te Awamutu Racecourse, Waikato -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Te Awamutu Racecourse, Waikato |
| Te Awamutu Racecourse, Waikato |
c/no. 806: DH.60G [Gipsy I] Moth registered G-EBZY [C of R 1707] 28.7.28 to Peter W. Hoare, Stag Lane. C of A 1626 issued 15.10.28. Registration cancelled 15.9.29 as sold. Sold to Nathaniel S Chalmers, [a Fijian barrister] and shipped to Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji in September 1929. Crashed into telephone wires on landing Albert Park, Suva after first flight after assembly 3.2.30. Shipped to New Zealand 13.2.30 for repairs. Sold 7.3.30 to Bryant House Airways, Te Rapa; registration ZK-ABV allocated
Crashed whilst joyriding Te Awamutu (still marked as G-EBZY) 21.5.30; The Moth had been carrying out passenger flights from the landing ground situated at the Te Awamutu Racecourse. The plane was seen to enter a spin at a height of about 1,000 feet. The spin was recovered from at about 50 feet and the Moth was still diving when it hit the ground. Both occupants received serious injuries from which they died in hospital. As reported in a contemporary newspaper (Waikato Times, 22 May 1930, Page 5 - see link #1)
"FATAL CRASH
MOTH PLANE WRECKED
TE AWAMUTU TRAGEDY.
ASSENGER AND PILOT KILLED.
In full view of a large crowd of spectators at the Te Awamutu Racecourse yesterday afternoon, a Moth aeroplane belonging to the Bryant Air Service, developed a sudden tall spin and, descending rapidly, struck the earth with a resounding crash that was heard a mile away. Both the pilot and passenger succumbed to their Injuries.
An aerial tragedy occurred at the Te Awamutu Racecourse about 4.30 yesterday afternoon, when a de Havilland gipsy moth, belonging to the Bryant Air Service, crashed. As a result, Alfred Minchin, aged 24, single, a carpenter by occupation, received a fractured skull and died in private hospital, and Captain A. W. Saunders, the pilot, of Auckland, sustained a fractured pelvis, shock, severe cuts on the forehead and chin and succumbed to his injuries this morning.
During yesterday, two machines had been making flights and the one which terminated so tragically was to be the final one of the day. The machine at the time of the accident was heading for the landing ground. 'Both machines had done good business and the flights had been the cause of much interest. The disaster occurred within full view of a large number of people who were enjoying the weekly half-holiday on a neighbouring sports ground.
DESCENDED AT 50 MILES AN HOUR
An eye-witness of the accident, Mr. E. Luks, of Hamilton, who recently qualified as a pilot, had 1 himself just landed with a passenger, when Captain Saunders’ machine appeared at an altitude of about 1500 feet and after making a glide, was about to descend, when the engine stalled and the machine developed a spin.
Descending at a speed of about 50 miles an hour it struck the earth with terrific force and horrified spectators on hurrying to the spot found the passenger unconscious and very severely injured amongst the wreckage. The force of the impact drove a hole two, feet deep in the ground. The pilot was some distance, from the machine, apparently having been thrown out. He was conscious when aid arrived. About a dozen yards from where the machine descended was a 10,000-volt electric transmission line and had this been struck it is almost certain both men would have met with instantaneous death and that the machine would have been completely destroyed,
Dr. C. Blundell, of Te Awamutu, witnessed the crash from his house, and anticipating disaster, sped to the spot in his car. He found Mr. Minchin suffering from a fractured skull and a compound fracture of the thigh. His right ankle also was fractured and he was severely cut about the face and body. The engine of the aeroplane had been forced through its case into the passengers’ cockpit and had crushed Mr Minchin. The injured man was removed to a private hospital in Te Awamutu, where he died without recovering consciousness at 7.15 p.m.
CAUSE OF THE CRASH
Captain Saunders’ pelvis was fractured and he was severely cut about the body. His lip and chin were cut. He was suffering also from severe shock. Dr. Blundell at the time stated that Captain Saunders’ condition was very serious, but he entertained hopes for his recovery. Captain Saunders recovered consciousness last evening, but he was unable to make a statement as to what had happened. He was later operated upon but died this morning. Dr. Blundell said the trouble could not have originated through shortage of benzine, for the tank was fairly full. Major Cowper, of Hamilton, should have had charge of the fatal plane at Te Awamutu yesterday, but owing to the fact that he was engaged in a flight from Christchurch with a Desoutter machine for the Bryant Service, he telegraphed Captain. Saunders to do for him the favour of acting as substitute. Mr. Luks expressed the opinion that, the cause of the crash was due to the pilot throttling his machine down and then being unable to start it again.
An Aero Club dance, which was to have been held at Te Awamutu last evening, was abandoned. Interested In Flying. Mr Minchin's parents live at Broadwood, Hokianga. He had been a resident of Hamilton and went to Te Awamutu recently to assist his second cousin, Mr. Alfred Minchin, to build a number of houses at Te Awamutu. He was very keenly interested in aviation and was the first pupil entered by the Te Awamutu Aero Club. He had accompanied Captain Saunders from Hamilton to-day and was to have returned with him. Mr Minchin was keen to obtain all the experience he could, and had been stunt-flying with Captain Saunders just before the tragedy. It was his intention to obtain his airman’s certificate in New Zealand and to proceed to America to engage in commercial aviation.
The Injured Pilot. Captain Saunders has a distinguished record as a pilot. He served in France with the 60th Squadron, among his colleagues being the famous aviators Ball, McCudden and Bishop. His “bag” included ten German aeroplanes, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. At the cessation of activities, he was King's courier for a time, bearing despatches from Great Britain to Berlin. For a year he was engaged by the Lithuanian Government on special air service, and then saw three years’ service with the Air Force in India. From 1923 to 1928 Captain Saunders was engaged in commercial flying. lie was a pilot with Imperial Airways, Limited. He was a pioneer pilot in the Sydney-Adelaide air mail service. He arrived in Auckland in May of last year.
THE WRECKED MACHINE
The machine concerned in the tragedy was a de Havilland Gipsy Moth, which was purchased three months ago in Auckland from Mr Chalmers, of Fiji. The machine had not had much use, and was described as being in first class condition prior to the accident It was completely wrecked by the force with which it struck the ground, only the tail and back portion being intact. The engine was thrown out of position and was damaged beyond repair. The wings were broken and flattened out, and the whole fabric was reduced to a tangled mass of wreckage.' The Moth w r as one of the fleet of machines purchased by Mr D. V. Bryant, of Hamilton, on behalf of the Bryant House Air Service, an organisation formed for raising funds with which to finance -Bryant House and other philanthropic schemes originated by Mr Bryant.
AIR PAGEANT CANCELLED.
In view of the unfortunate fatality at Te Awamutu yesterday the opening of the Te Rapa aerodrome and air pageant arranged for Show week has been cancelled. All persons who have paid for tickets for the pageant will receive a refund on application to the office of the Bryant Home trustees, Victoria Street North, or at the office of Mr R. English, State Fire Buildings, Hamilton".
Rebuilt 1933 by Air Survey & Transport Ltd and fitted with Gipsy III engine (from DH.80A Puss Moth ZK-ABR - and officially re-designated DH.60GIII); registered to them as ZK-ABV 27.2.33. Registered 10.3.34 to Manawatu Aero Club, Palmerston North.
Crashed near Taihape 11.12.35 after striking HT overhead wires; pilot Flying Officer G.M. Firth; rebuilt July 1936. Crashed on take-off from Rongotai at Miramar Golf Course 3.12.37; R.L. Elliott killed. Registration cancelled 8.2.38
Sources:
1. Waikato Times, 22 May 1930, Page 5: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT19300522.2.40
2. Evening Post, 22 May 1930, Page 10: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19300522.2.76.1
3. https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-EBZY.pdf
4. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60g-gipsy-moth-te-awamutu-2-killed
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-E4.html
6. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Accf1939.htm
7. https://ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
8. As G-EBZY: https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-great-bitain-registers-g-eb/g-eb-part-2?highlight=WyJnLWVienkiXQ==
9. https://www.progroupracing.com.au/new-zealand-racecourses/te-awamutu-racecourse
10. AHSNZ, 1987, Journal, Vol 30 No 2.
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 3 February 1930 | G-EBZY | N S Chalmers | 0 | Albert Park, Suva, Viti Levu |  |
sub |
| 3 December 1937 | ZK-ABV | Manawatu Aero Club | 1 | Miramar Golf Course, Miramar, Wellington 1 | |
w/o |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Dec-2011 17:39 | angels one five | Added |
| 26-Dec-2011 18:00 | angels one five | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 20-Dec-2012 10:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 24-Jul-2014 04:24 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 29-Aug-2017 17:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 10-May-2019 19:53 | Sergey L. | Updated [Source] |
| 10-May-2019 20:01 | Sergey L. | Updated [Source] |
| 23-Jan-2022 04:07 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 25-Jan-2022 03:24 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 14-Nov-2023 12:33 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Source] |
| 06-Dec-2023 14:25 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 13-Dec-2023 10:25 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-Dec-2023 16:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
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