Date:	Saturday 9 September 1995
Time:	08:36
Type:	de Havilland DH-82a Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	John Fisher
Registration:	VH-GVA
MSN:	DHA.1014
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Maitland Airport, Russell Field, Rutherford, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Maitland Airport, Rutherford, NSW (YMND)
Destination airport:	Maitland Airport, Rutherford, NSW (YMND)
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH-82a Tiger Moth MSN DHA.1014; Built by DH Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Taken on charge by the RAAF as A17-579 at 2 Aircraft Depot, Richmond 22.7.42. To 1 AOS Cootamundra 27.7.42. To 11 EFTS Benalla 25.11.42; storage reserve 25.7.45; transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 1.3.46. To 1 FTS Point Cook 5.3.46; stored. To 2 Aircraft Depot Richmond 16.12.48. To DH Australia, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 27.3.52 for overhaul. To Base Squadron, RAAF Point Cook 25.7.52. To 1 Aircraft Depot (Detachment B), Tocumwal 9.1.57; for sale 22.5.57.

Struck off RAAF charge when sold and issued to purchaser 9.9.58. Australian civil registered as VH-GME (C of R 2391) 29.4.58 to Mrs Gertrude Josephine McKenzie, t/a McKenzie Flying School, Moorabbin; named ‘Aries’. Re-registered VH-GVA (in 1961) to Goulburn Valley Aero Club, Shepparton, Victoria. Re-registered 14.8.67 to Richard W W Vowell, Mount Eliza, Victoria. Damaged when ran-away on start-up and struck fence Tyabb, Victoria 18.10.70; repaired and returned to service. Re-registered (in 1971-72) to Ken E Orrman, Kialla, Victoria. Damaged when overturned on take-off Port Arlington, Victoria 7.11.72. Registration cancelled 8.9.75 as WFU. Re-registered 26.2.79 to same owner. Re-registered 10.5.79 to Ray P Vuillermin, Melbourne, Victoria. Re-registered 1.6.83 to P F McConnell, Sunbury, Victoria. Re-registered 28.2.84 to John J Sagar, Eltham, Victoria (aircraft based at Tyabb). Re-registered 10.4.95 to John Fisher, Kirribilli, NSW

Substantially damaged 9.9.95 when "ran away" while starting up at Maitland Airport, Rutherford, NSW. According to the ATSB Report into the accident:

"The pilot was hand starting the engine of the unoccupied Tiger Moth. After start the power increased unexpectedly. Although tethered, the aircraft broke free and ran about 20 metres before overturning. The pilot reported that he had failed to ensure the throttle friction nut had been adequately tightened before attempting the hand start".

Repaired and returned to service. Flown UK to Australia by Fisher, departing White Waltham 1.9.96; arrived Darwin, NT 5.10.96 and Mascot, Sydney, NSW 12.10.96. Set several FAI World Records en route. Struck trees on take-off, crashed and destroyed by fire Maryborough, Victoria 27.1.12; John Fisher & David Oxley killed. Registration cancelled 24.2.12 as "destroyed".

1. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17b.htm
2. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus10.html
4. https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/228670
5. ATSB Summary of the accident: https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1995/aair/199502952/
6. ATSB Full Report: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/4933179/199502952.pdf
7. Tiger Moth VH-GVA, various photos 1965-2011: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/VH-GVA?f=&sort=date_taken_formatted&order=asc
8. Tiger Moth VH-GVA at Houdini-Centenary Air Show, Melton, Victoria (YMEL) 20.3.2010: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/36238/VH-GVA
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitland_Airport

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

18 October 1970	VH-GVA	Vowell Air Services Pty Ltd	0	Tyabb Airfield, Tyabb, VIC		sub
27 January 2012	VH-GVA	John Fisher	2	Near Maryborough Airport, Maryborough, VIC		w/o

Tiger Moth VH-GVA at DH Moth club rally, Woburn Abbey 1996

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Apr-2018 08:06	Pineapple	Added
21-Jan-2022 20:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]