Date:	Wednesday 7 August 1996
Time:	14:20
Type:	de Havilland DH-82a Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Southern Skies Aviation
Registration:	VH-FSS
MSN:	DHA.1072
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Archerfield Airport, Brisbane, QLD -   Australia
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Archerfield Airport, Archerfield, Queensland (YBAF)
Destination airport:	Archerfield Airport, Archerfield, Queensland (YBAF)
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH-82a Tiger Moth MSN DHA.1072; Built by DH Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Taken on charge by the RAAF as A17-741 at 2 Aircraft Park, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 9.11.44. To RAAF Tamworth 13.11.44 for storage; transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 12.12.44. To 2 Aircraft Depot Richmond 18.3.47. To CFS Point Cook 25.8.47; to East Sale 2.12.47. To RAAF East Sale 25.8.50; to Base Squadron RAAF East Sale 1.5.52. To 2 Aircraft Depot Richmond 11.2.55. To 1 Aircraft Depot (Detachment B) Tocumwal 1.4.56. To Base Squadron, RAAF Point Cook 6.9.56. To 1 Aircraft Depot (Detachment B) Tocumwal 10.1.57 for storage pending disposal. For sale 22.5.57

Struck off RAAF charge when sold and issued to purchaser 2.4.58. Australian civil registered as VH-FSS (C of R 4416) 15.8.63 to S H Savage, Griffith, NSW. Registration cancelled 26.5.66. Re-registered 7.4.67 to Renmark Tiger Group, Renmark, SA. Re-registered 22.5.73 to Renmark Gliding Club Inc, Renmark, SA. Re-registered 4.8.75 to A M Monfries, Narracoorte, SA. Substantially damaged when crashed into power lines on landing at Narracoorte, SA 12.1.78. Registration VH-FSS cancelled 13.1.78 (next day) as "Withdrawn From Use".

Wreck sold to Charles Edmonds, t/a Tiger Air for rebuild. Re-registered 5.4.84 to Charles E W Edmonds, Chirnside Park, Victoria. Painted in RAAF colours as "A17-741" (by 1991). Sold (1993); based Townsville, Queensland. Re-registered 5.93 to D Schrader, Oak Valley, Queensland. Re-registered 7.6.95 to Southern Skies Aviation, Archerfield, Queensland.

Substantially damaged 7.8.96 in an incident at Archerfield Airport, Archerfield, Queensland. According to the ATSB report into the incident:

"A group of pilots were undertaking endorsement training on the aircraft. They had been briefed on ground handling and starting procedures for the aircraft. The starting procedure involved turning the propeller through with full throttle and ignition off, in order to pass fuel mixture to the cylinders. After that process the throttle was set to be set to 1/4 inch open and the ignition switches turned on for hand starting. On this occasion, the instructor was outside the aircraft to hand-swing the propeller and the pilot undergoing the endorsement was in the cockpit. The throttle had been set full open for the priming procedure and the instructor had asked for it to be set to 1/4 inch open. At this time the throttle was moved to a position which the trainee assumed was the appropriate setting.

When the engine started it went quickly to a high RPM condition, the tail rose and the propeller was destroyed by contact with the ground. The trainee had not closed the throttle initially in order to obtain the correct datum from which to set the throttle for start. He later found that the throttle control movement was much greater than had been expected. In his previous experience, with nose-wheeled aircraft, a high RPM after start was of no concern from an aircraft attitude aspect, however with a tail-wheeled aircraft the tail can rise unexpectedly.

Factors:
1. The trainee pilot was unfamiliar with the engine control movement;
2. The starting throttle position was not set from the closed throttle position;
3. The throttle was set too far open for start;
4. The flight controls were not set to help keep the tail low;
5. Timely action to reduce engine rpm was not taken;
6. The instructor did not check that the throttle and flight controls were properly set for start".

Re-registered 22.4.99 to Justin Meadows (Pty) Ltd (Justin Meadows), Cairns, Queensland. Re-registered 9.6.2006 to Justin Daniel Meadows, Brinsmead, Queensland; (stored at owner’s home in 5.20 pending rebuild). Currently registered, but believed not currently airworthy.

1. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus10.html
3. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
4. https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/De-Havilland-Australia-DH-82A-Tiger-Moth/1200231/L
5. ATSB Summary of the accident:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1996/aair/199602489/
6. ATSB Full Report of the accident: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/4932057/199602489.pdf
7. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/picture.php?/DM_2A17_741/category/dh82a-tiger-moth-a17-741
8. Tiger Moth VH-FSS at Renmark, SA (YREN) May 1967: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/189402/VH-FSS
9. Tiger Moth VH-FAA (as "A17-741") various photos 1978-2006: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/code-number/A17-741
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archerfield_Airport

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
23-Apr-2018 08:24	Pineapple	Added
22-Jan-2022 20:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
07-Jun-2022 22:52	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]