ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 166464
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| Date: | Tuesday 15 April 1958 |
| Time: | afternoon |
| Type: | Edgar Percival EP-9 |
| Owner/operator: | Super Spread Aviation Pty Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-SSW |
| MSN: | 32 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Moorabbin, Melbourne, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Moorabbin, Melbourne (MBW/YMMB) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
c/no 32: Edgar Percival EP.9 Built at Stapleford, Abridge, Essex by Edgar Percival Aircraft Ltd. Test flown as G 43-2 (3rd airframe to use these "Class B" markings) in 9.57. Airframe Completed 7.9.57. Registered (C of R R 5861/1) as G-APFY to Wright Stephenson & Co Ltd 11.9.57. C of A A.5861 issued 17.9.57.
c/nos 28 and 32 were sold directly by Edgar Percival Aircraft Ltd to Super Spread Aviation and the owners intended that they be flown to Australia in British markings. However, the British Ministry declined, stating that their policy was that aircraft directly sold to another country must be ferried under that country's registration markings.
Thus Super Spread requested DCA issue Australian registrations in their preferred VH-SS block, and DCA allocated VH-SSC and VH-SSB respectively. The appropriate paper work for Australian C of R and C of A was dispatched to the Civil Aviation Liaison Officer at Australian House, London the following day. When this Australian certification was submitted to the British Ministry, it was pointed out to Australia Ho use that they were already British registered, so the Australian registrations could not be used!
On 19.9.57 G-APBR and G-APFY departed London on delivery flight to Australia, flown by Super Spread directors Ernie Tadgell & Austin Miller. Each aircraft carried a racing car engine as freight. They made 32 refuelling stops en-route to Australia On 27.9.57 G-APBR and G-APFY noted at Bahrein on delivery. Both were still at Bahrein 29.9.57. Left Bahrein 30.9.57 for Moorabbin
On 19.10.57 G-APBR and G-APFY arrived at Moorabbin, Victoria on delivery from England, both landed at 12.10 pm. G-APBR and G-APFY were flown to Australia under their British markings, as originally requested!
Re-registered in Australia as VH-SSW (the 1st) on 22.10.57 to Superspread Aviation Pty Ltd, Moorabbin, Victoria. On 23.2.58 Damaged during landing at Flinders Island on Furneaux Estate when the tailplane struck an object during an attempted short landing. Pilot Helmut Apitz was unhurt. According to the DCA Accident report: "In endeavouring to land short the pilot misjudged his height and the tailplane struck an obstruction on the threshold."
Shipped to Moorabbin for repair by Super Spread Aviation by 1.3.58
Written off 15.4.58: Crashed on takeoff Moorabbin, Victoria. First test flight after rebuild from Flinders Island accident of 23.2.58. Took off late in the afternoon, with pilot Austin W. Miller (Super Spread Aviation founder and Director) and engineer Bill Symons on board. Stalled and crashed close to the control tower. Cause was found to be elevator cables having being installed in reverse. Aircraft wrecked, both on board seriously hurt.
According to the DCA Accident report: "Immediately after takeoff aircraft climbed steeply, stalled and crashed on to the aerodrome. The elevator cables had been installed so as to reverse normal operating sense."
On 28.4.58 VH-SSW was Struck-off Register as "destroyed". Wing sections and other airframe parts later used to assemble VH-SSR c/no 46 at Moorabbin, Vic.
Sources:
1. The British Civil Aircraft Register G-APAA to G-APZZ (Bernard Martin, Air Britain, 1978)
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-APFY.pdf
3. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/Superspread/VH-SSR.html
4. http://www.northwealdairfieldmuseum.com/upload/AIRCRAFT%20MANUFACTURE.pdf
5. http://www.warbirdsdirectory.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/percival-ep9/percival-ep-9.pdf
6. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/percival-ep9/percivalep9.html
7. https://aeropedia.com.au/content/percival-ep-9/
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moorabbin_Airport
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-May-2014 19:49 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 10-Jun-2022 02:34 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 18-Oct-2022 21:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 18-Oct-2022 21:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
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