ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 121168
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| Date: | Monday 18 July 1927 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  De Havilland DH.60X Moth |
| Owner/operator: | West Australian Airways, Maylands |
| Registration: | G-AUFI |
| MSN: | 277 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Trafalgar Road, East Perth, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Maylands Aerodrome, Perth, Western Australia |
| Maylands Aerodrome, Perth, Western Australia |
c/no 277: G-AUFI [C of R 154]: registered 15.2.27 to West Australian Airways, Maylands, WA; fitted with Cirrus II. Operated by Perth Flying School, Maylands, Western Australia.
Crashed Trafalgar Road, East Perth, Western Australia 18.7.27, when being flown solo by student pilot, Ray Wilson. G-AUFI spun in from 2,000 feet, struck an electrical power standard, and fell back into the road in flames; pilot Ray Philip Wilson killed. As reported in a contemporary local newspaper (Townsville Daily Bulletin (Townsville, Qld.) Wednesday 20 July 1927 Page 5 - see link #1):
"PERTH AEROPLANE CRASH.
1200 Feet Glide Upside Down.
PERTH, July 19.
Commenting on the aeroplane tragedy at Perth yesterday, when Ray Phillip Wilson, a flying school pupil was killed. Major Brearley, managing director of West Australian Airways Limited, who had much experience as an Aviator in the war, said the fact that the aeroplane turned upside down and from a height of about 1200 feet and continued in that position until it struck the ground was an astounding feature which could not be understood.
Upside-down flying is about the hardest operation of all and no pupil of the school was capable of flying in that manner. It was difficult to understand how Wilson managed to keep the machine in that position. There is not an orthodox aeroplane in the world which would not right itself from any position, providing it was left alone, and providing the altitude was great enough.
Any normal plane given a few hundred feet or altitude should regain its normal position, and Wilson was anything from 1,000 to 1,240 feet up when the machine turned over.
After gliding steeply upside down from a height of about 1,200 feet the Moth aeroplane crashed into electric light cables close to the Government electric power station, In Trafalgar Road, East Perth. The plane struck six cables close to a post, and then shot along the wires and dashed with terrific force into a row of high terminal poles, where it burst into flames and fell to the ground.
The pilot was pinned to the earth by the feet, while burning debris from parts of the fabric suspended on the wires dropped on him. A number of men rushed to the scene and found the unfortunate man protecting his face with his bands from the flames. Four men threaded their way among the electric cables lying around, and removed the unconscious man to nearby grass, his clothing was burning and his head was frightfully injured: there appeared' to be no hope for hie recovery, and he was dead when the ambulance arrived at the hospital.
Wilson, who was single, resided in North Perth, joined the flying school of the West Australian Airway Ltd. several months ago. Major Brearly, managing director of the West Australian Airways stated that Wilson was one of the most promising pupils.
During the' course of his Instruction he had. been taught how to spin, and how to recover from a spinning nose dive, and other advanced manoeuvres, and had proved quite an apt pupil.
The machine, which was worth £1,000, has been completely ruined, but was fully insured. Deceased was a noted motor racer, and was well known in rowing circles, having managed the interstate team two or three years ago. As a result of the smashing of the cables the tram service was suspended for over two hours".
Sources:
1. Townsville Daily Bulletin (Townsville, Qld.) Wednesday 20 July 1927 Page 5 PERTH AEROPLANE CRASH: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60722971
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-AU.html
3. https://www.raafawa.org.au/museum/index.php
4. http://www.alanblencowe.com/FSX_FlightHistory/Aircraft_of_WA.htm
5. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60x-moth-perth-1-killed
6. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh60.pdf
7. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-australian-register/g-au?highlight=WyJnLWF1ZmkiXQ==
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p002.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maylands_Airport#History
.
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Mar-2011 11:29 | Johnny Johnny | Added |
| 10-Dec-2011 03:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 10-Jan-2014 19:14 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Sep-2017 20:15 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source] |
| 20-Sep-2020 20:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 07-Jun-2022 19:12 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 06-Dec-2023 20:29 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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