Date:	Friday 14 August 1931
Time:	10:00 LT
Type:	De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth
Owner/operator:	Francis C Chichester
Registration:	ZK-AKK
MSN:	1093
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Katsuura Bay, Wakayama Prefecture -   Japan
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Katsuura Bay, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.60G [Gipsy I] registered as G-AAKK [C of R 2100] 23.7.29 to The Brooklands School of Flying Ltd, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey. C of A 2125 issued 23.7.29. Sold 8.9.29 (but not re-registered) to Francis Charles Chichester; named "The Mme Elijah". The pilot was the famous navigator (Sir) Francis Chichester, who was knighted in 1967 for a 226-day circumnavigation of the globe (27.8.66 to 28.5.67) in his small sailing ketch "Gypsy Moth IV"

G-AAKK Departed on trial solo European tour 9.29. Departed Croydon 20.12.29 for Australia; arrived Darwin 25.1.30 and Mascot, Sydney 30.1.30. Taken by Chichester by steamer to New Zealand in 2.30. Registration G-AAKK cancelled as sold abroad 12.30.

New Zealand Registration ZK-ACK reserved 12.30 but not used (re-allocated to c/no.1438 ex-G-AASA). Converted to seaplane early 1931. Registered ZK-AKK 2.3.31 to Francis Charles Chichester; temporarily named "Te-Ika-a-Maui" before reverting to its previous name, "The Mme Elijah". Flown across the Tasman Sea from New Zealand to Australia, departing Parenyarenga, North Island, New Zealand 28.3.31 to Norfolk Island. (Norfolk Island issued a stamp, in 1981, commemorating the fact that ZK-AKK was the first-ever landing of an aircraft on the Island, at Cascade Bay on this date. Another stamp (14 cents) was issued by Norfolk Island at a later date showing Chichester's seaplane).

ZK-AKK capsized in a squall whilst anchored at Lord Howe Island 2.4.31 and flight abandoned. Repaired and flown to Australia, arriving 10.6.31. Departed Sydney 3.7.31 on Round World trip; arrived Thursday Island 6.7.31, New Guinea, Manilla, Philippines 17.7.31, Shanghai, China 7.8.31 and thence to Central Japan a few days later.

Written off (damaged beyond economic repair) when crashed at Katsuura Bay, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan 14.8.31; Chichester crashed at a place called Katsuura, but there are at least two places so named in Japan, one on the southeast coast of Chiba prefecture, not far from Yokohama, and another some 250 miles (400 km) to the southeast in Wakayama prefecture. Chichester evidently believed he was at the former, and a map in his 1936 book "Ride on the Wind" indicates that he crashed in Chiba; however, all evidence points to Wakayama, including the fact that after the crash he was taken to a hospital in Shingu in Wakayama prefecture.

As reported in a contemporary newspaper (The Muswellbrook Chronicle (Muswellbrook, NSW) Tuesday 18 August 1931 Page 6 - see link #1)

CHICHESTER CRASHES
CRITICALLY INJURED.
TOKIO, Aug. 15.
Mr. F. C. Chichester, the New Zealand airman, who flew from Australia to Japan, was taking off from Katsuura for Tokio, when his engine baulked and the 'plane crashed against electric cables. Mr. Chichester was taken to hospital with his head bruised and his scrotum was injured.

The Prefectural Governor was instructed from Tokio to render every assistance. Aviation officers from Osaka are hurrying to the scene. Mr. Chichester's condition is critical. He sustained injuries to his eyelids and several other parts of the body as he dropped down. He made an attempt more than once to take off since 9 a.m., with no small difficulty because of unfavorable winds.

The 'plane finally took the air after 50 minutes, but immediately afterwards struck a suspended wire and dropped down upon a stone fence at the Hot Spring Hotel. Mr. Chichester was pinned to the ground by the machine, which was completely wrecked.

Townsfolk hurried to the scene and carried the aviator to a neighbouring hospital".

Wreck donated to local school. Registration ZK-AKK cancelled 5.2.32.

1. The Muswellbrook Chronicle (Muswellbrook, NSW) Tuesday 18 August 1931 Page 6: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107601290
2. Australia-to-England Aviator Crashes in Japan; Badly Hurt - New York Times August 15, 1931, Page 1: https://www.nytimes.com/1931/08/15/archives/australiatoengland-aviator-crashes-in-japan-badly-hurt.html
3. The Age (Melbourne, Vic.) Monday 17 Aug 1931 Page 7 CHICHESTER CRASHES: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203033202
4. Poverty Bay Herald, 3 October 1931, Page 6: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19311003.2.68
5. AHSNZ, 1987, Journal, Vol 30 No 3.
6. As G-AAKK: http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/gb-registers-g-aa/g-aa-part-1?highlight=WyJnLWFha2siXQ==
7. As ZK-AKK: http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-new-zealand-register/gn-z-zk?highlight=WyJnLWFha2siXQ==
8 https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-AAKK.pdf
9. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A.html
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Chichester#Air_pilot
11. https://baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60g-moth-katsuura
12. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_ZK-.html
13. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p010.html
14. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/archive/Archive_1982.pdf
15. https://wingnet.org/rtw/RTW002CC.HTM
16. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh60.pdf
17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsuura,_Chiba

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Nov-2017 17:09	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-Nov-2017 17:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
14-Feb-2020 12:17	Sergey L.	Updated [Source]
14-Nov-2023 22:43	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source]
02-Dec-2023 15:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category]