This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can
submit corrected information.
Date: | Monday 27 July 1942 |
Time: | 09:45 |
Type: | De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth |
Owner/operator: | 3 EFTS RNZAF |
Registration: | NZ839 |
MSN: | DHNZ89 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
Other fatalities: | 2 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | Harris Field, Canterbury -
New Zealand
|
Phase: | Approach |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RNZAF Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand |
Destination airport: | RNZAF Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand |
Narrative:de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth MSN DHNZ89: Built at Rongotai from 100% local components. BOC Unit 18 Rongotai 5 September 1941. With No.4 EFTS, Whenuapai 10.41. With No.3 EFTS, Harewood 1942.
On 27 July 1942, two Tiger Moths, NZ1429 and NZ839, collided in the air at Harris Field, near Harewood, and crashed. Of the crews of both aircraft, the pilot of Tiger Moth NZ839 (flying solo) survived, albeit with serious injuries. Both of the crew of Tiger Moth NZ1429 were also killed. A contemporary local newspaper report (Evening Star, Issue 24258, 28 July 1942, Page 2) stated the following:
"TWO MEN KILLED - THIRD SERIOUSLY INJURED (P.A.)
WELLINGTON. July 27.
Two members of the R.N.Z.A.F, lost their lives and a third received serious injuries in an aircraft collision in the South Island this morning. The personnel concerned were:— Blair, Flying-officer Kenneth Sinclair R.N.Z.A.F., killed; wife, Mrs O, M. Blair, Wellington. Keat. Leading - Aircraftman Leonard Matthew, killed; wife, Mrs I. J. Keat, Rotorua. Knight, Leading Aircraftman Robert Baines, seriously injured;-father, Mr H. Knight, Waiuku. Flying-officer Blair, who was an instructor, saved his life by a parachute jump last September, when the wing of his aircraft collapsed. He was 28 years of age, and was a nephew of Mr Justice Blair. Before joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force about two years ago he was a judge’s associate."
Crew of Tiger Moth NZ839:
Leading Aircraftman R. Knight, RNZAF (Pupil Pilot u/t) - survived but seriously injured (He was later killed on the 9th of February 1945 while flying with 630 Sqn RAF).
Written off the books at RNZAF Rongotai 20 August 1942
Sources:
1. For Your Tomorrow Vol 1 (1915 to 1942) By Errol W. Martyn - 1 July 1942 to 31 Dec 1942 (Part B)
2. Evening Star, Issue 24258, 28 July 1942, Page 2
3.
http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzdh82.htm 4.
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?25385-1942-Unaccounted-Airmen-Database-Reconciliation/page21&p=147906#post147906 5.
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pNZ0.html 6.
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pNZ1.html 7.
https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf 8.
https://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/293789 Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
11-Jun-2009 16:27 |
angels one five |
Added |
24-Sep-2009 00:20 |
angels one five |
Updated |
14-Dec-2011 17:00 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
23-Jan-2012 12:36 |
angels one five |
Updated [Operator] |
26-May-2012 09:11 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Cn, Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
14-Sep-2013 02:28 |
angels one five |
Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
05-Sep-2014 23:18 |
angels one five |
Updated [Time, Total occupants] |
19-Mar-2019 16:14 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Operator] |
15-Aug-2021 01:48 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
15-Aug-2021 18:35 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Location, Narrative, Category] |
15-Aug-2021 18:35 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Narrative] |
15-Aug-2021 18:38 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source, Narrative] |
02-Oct-2021 21:59 |
Ron Averes |
Updated [Operator] |
22-Jan-2022 02:15 |
Ron Averes |
Updated [Aircraft type, Location] |