Date:	Saturday 4 September 1943
Time:	10:50
Type:	de Havilland DH.82C Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	10 EFTS RCAF
Registration:	4381
MSN:	DHC.711
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	South Nation River, 1 mile north of Riceville, Ontario -   Canada
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RCAF Pendleton, Ontario (CNF3)
Destination airport:	RCAF Pendleton, Ontario (CNF3)

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82C Tiger Moth DHC.711 (Gipsy Major #87201) Delivered and Taken on charge 10.2.41 by No. 1 Training Command as RCAF 4381. Delivered to storage, until issued to 1 EFTS (Elementary Flying Training School) at Malton, Ontario on 25.2.41. To 3 Training Command on 25.8.42. To deHavilland Canada for overhaul, 4.11.42 to 27.1.43. To stored reserve with No. 3 Training Commansd when completed, issued from storage on 12.2.43 to 10 EFTS RCAF Pendleton, Ontario

Written off (destroyed) 4.9.43: Both Pilots perished when their aircraft crashed into the South Nation River one mile North of Riceville, Ontario, after striking overhead HT Power lines at 10:50 hours local

Crew of Tiger Moth 4381:
F/O Richard Mahlon D'Arcy Zurbrigg (instructor pilot, J/12641) RCAF - killed 4.9.43.
Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London, Ontario.
LAC James Dixon McPherson (Student pilot u/t, R/163171) RCAF - killed 4.9.43.
Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.

Wreckage formally struck off, reduced to spares and produce on 1.4.44. During the Second World War, Pendleton Airport was established as RCAF Station Pendleton and hosted No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan after the school moved from Hamilton in 1942. The school provided initial pilot training on Tiger Moth and Finch aircraft until closure in 1945

1. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?24881-10-EFTS-Tiger-Moth-crash-4-September-1943-Riceville-Ont-Canada&p=144210#post144210
2. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2687074
3. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2265608
4. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2687074/RICHARD%20MAHLON%20D'ARCY%20ZURBRIGG/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2265608/JAMES%20DIXON%20McPHERSON/
7. http://www.rwrwalker.ca/RCAF_4350_4399_detailed.html
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pCan6.html
9. The accident report, court of inquiry and photographs of the crash: https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t12349/854?r=0&s=3 pp.854-895
10. 10 EFTS ORB (Operations Record Book) for 4.9.43: https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12337/1286?r=0&s=3
11. https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/fallen-aviators/rcaf-casualties-second-world-war/zabek-to-zywina/
12. https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/fallen-aviators/rcaf-casualties-second-world-war/mckie-to-middlemiss/
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendleton_Airport#World_War_II_(1942-1945)
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Nation_River

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Aug-2019 15:18	tachel	Added
11-Aug-2021 17:27	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]
19-Aug-2021 21:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
19-Aug-2021 21:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
20-Aug-2021 10:07	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative, Operator]