Date:	Friday 18 June 1943
Time:	day
Type:	De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	20 Sqn RNZAF
Registration:	NZ1441
MSN:	DHNZ121
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Whangarei, Northland -   New Zealand
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RNZAF Station Onerahi, North Island, New Zealand (NZWR)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
RNZAF Tiger Moth NZ1441 (c/no DHNZ121): Built at Rongotai. BOC by RNZAF at Unit 18 Rongotai on 16 September 1942.

Crashed into a street in Whangārei after hitting power lines and trees on 18 June 1943 while being operated by No.20 Squadron, Onerahi. The aircraft was taking part in publicity - reportedly "leaflet dropping" - connected with Liberty Loans and suffered an engine failure during a low level aerobatic sequence.

According to a pair of contemporary local news paper reports ("Auckland Star", Volume LXXIV, Issue 143, 18 June 1943, Page 4 and "New Zealand Herald", Volume 80, Issue 24629, 7 July 1943, Page 2):

"18 June 1943 - An aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force crashed this morning while engaged on Liberty Loan publicity at Whangarei. There were two occupants and both lost their lives. They were:
Flying-Officer Murray Llewellyn GRAY, 25, NOK Mr C Gray, 11 Eltham Road, Kohimarama, Auckland (father)
Pilot-Officer Charles SMITH, 25, Mrs D M Smith, Onerahi (wife)"

An inquest was held on 7th July 1943 and the verdict was stated as an accident.The evidence presented at the Coroner's inquest indicated that the engine cut out, while the Tiger Moth was inverted, preventing the pilot from gaining control when losing height after corming out of a long roll. The pilot evidently tried to land in a sparsely populated street, but the undercarriage fouled power and telephone lines, causing the plane to crash into the corner of a brick building, which was Hosking's (they were a drapery shop on Cameron Street).

Both crew on board - Flying Officer Murray Gray and Pilot Officer Charles Smith were killed.

The Coroner said that the accident proved the value of the E.P.S. organisation, which rendered quick and capable assistance. The pilot and his passenger are buried at Purewa (aka Meadowbank) and Auckland, respectively:

Flying Officer Murray Llewellyn GRAY (Pilot, NZ40124) RNZAF - killed
Pilot Officer Charles SMITH (Air Gunner/Leaflet Dropper, NZ401466) RNZAF - killed

Smith, on board to drop the leaflets, flew his ops during service with 99, 37 and 75 (New Zealand) Sqns, RAF.

NZ1441 was written off books at Onerahi on 6 July 1943 as reduced to produce.

1. For Your Tomorrow, Errol Martyn, Volume 2, Page 108
2. Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 143, 18 June 1943, Page 4
3. New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24629, 7 July 1943, Page 2
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzdh82.htm
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pNZ1.html
6. https://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/116641
7. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/viewtopic.php?p=795408#p795408
8. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2920439/MURRAY%20LLEWELLYN%20GRAY/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2919645/CHARLES%20SMITH/
10. https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/murray-llewellyn-gray
11. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C21260
12. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176625214/charles-montrose-gray
13. https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/charles-smith-0
14. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C26187
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whang%C4%81rei
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whangarei_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Jun-2009 15:26	angels one five	Added
12-Jun-2009 04:00	angels one five	Updated
28-Sep-2009 02:44	angels one five	Updated
21-Jan-2012 05:00	Nepa	Updated [Registration, Operator, Narrative]
27-May-2012 12:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
15-Aug-2012 06:55	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
28-Jan-2013 00:42	John	Updated [Narrative]
12-Sep-2013 02:35	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Narrative]
14-Nov-2018 16:31	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
18-Aug-2021 23:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
18-Aug-2021 23:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
20-Aug-2021 09:24	BlB	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]
20-Aug-2021 17:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
27-Aug-2021 00:50	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
26-Jan-2022 06:06	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, Location]