Date:	Friday 22 November 1985
Time:	07:40
Type:	de Havilland DH-82a Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Jack M Jones, t/a TMA Air Charter,
Registration:	VH-MDV
MSN:	DHA.470
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Camden Airport, Cobbitty, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Camden Airport, Cobbitty, NSW (CDU/YSCN)
Destination airport:	Camden Airport, Cobbitty, NSW (CDU/YSCN)
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH-82a Tiger Moth MSN DHA.470 (Gipsy Major #265); Built by DH Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Supplied to Vrijwillig Vlieger Corps (VVC) in Netherlands East Indies in July/August 1941 and regd PK-VVU (C of R 90) in September 1941 to VVC. Delivered to the Navy VVC at Surabaya and intended to be equipped with Edo floats. The floats were not delivered and the Tiger Moth was evacuated 18.2.42 on the s.s "Tjinegara" from Surabaya, arriving at Adelaide 19.2.42. Registration PK-VVU cancelled 1.3.42.

Taken on charge by the RAAF as A17-626 at 1 EFTS Parafield 7.3.42. To Victorian & Interstate Airways, Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria 16.1.44 for overhaul; to 1 AD Laverton 12.6.44 upon completion of repairs. To 5 AD Wagga Wagga, NSW 29.6.44. To 10 EFTS Temora 7.8.44; to storage reserve 20.8.45; transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit, Temora 12.3.46. To 2 Aircraft Depot, Richmond 12.11.47. To DH Australia, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 2.6.49 for overhaul; returned to 2 AD Richmond 24.11.49 upon completion of overhaul. To RAAF Point Cook 14.3.50; to RAAF College 26.5.50; to Base Squadron 6.9.50. To 1 BFTS Uranquinty 12.3.52. To 1 AD Det B, Tocumwal 10.7.53 for storage; for sale 11.2.54.

Struck off RAAF charge when sold 15.4.54 to Mackay Flying Club, Mackay, Queensland; issued 9.7.54. Australian civil registered as VH-WBC in March 1955 (Possibly Not Taken Up?). Re-registered as VH-GWB (C of R 2131) 17.11.55 to Rockhampton Aero Club, Rockhampton, Queensland. Crashed on landing at Gladstone, Queensland 8.10.58. Registration VH-GWB cancelled 14.8.59.

Re-registered as VH-MDV (C of R 3324) 24.8.59 to Air Maintenance, Maryborough, Queensland. Re-registered 12.12.59 to C D Pratt & W C Allen, Gympie, Queensland. Re-regd 9.6.68 to W Lindenberg, Pittsworth, Queensland. Re-registered 6.5.69 to C J Heit, Booval, Queensland. Re-registered 20.3.71 to M J Whittington, Bilgola Plateau, NSW. Re-registered 6.5.74 to J W Buckley, Clontarf, NSW. Re-registered 18.3.81 to Jack M Jones, t/a TMA Air Charter, Guildford, NSW.

Substantially damaged 22.11.85 when crashed at Camden Airport, Cobbitty, NSW. According to the ATSB report into the accident:

"The aircraft had been refurbished during the preceding months, and at the completion of this work the pilot intended to carry out a short test flight. He subsequently reported that as soon as the aircraft became airborne after a normal takeoff roll, it veered sharply and the right wing dropped. Corrective control inputs had no effect, the wing and propeller struck the ground and the aircraft overturned, coming to rest about 200 metres from the start of the takeoff roll.

The surface wind was reported to be varying up to 30 degrees off the runway direction, and gusting up to 15 knots. Because of the degree of damage sustained however, it was not possible to determine whether the wind conditions or the rigging of the aircraft was the major factor contributing to the accident."

Painted as A17-626 (by 1991). Re-registered 29.3.2004 to Loop & Roll Pty Ltd, Mona Vale, NSW. Rebuilt & reflown May 2010 (owned by John Thrid/Balson/Trevitt syndicate at Luskintyre, NSW). Currently registered and airworthy in NSW, Australia

1. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_PK-.html
3. https://www.ipms.nl/artikelen/nedmil-luchtvaart/vliegtuigen-d/vliegtuigen-d-dehavil-dh82
4. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/VIC1761B
5. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/VIC1761C
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus4.html
8. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1985/aair/aair198502566/
9. https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/27520/aair198502566.pdf
10. Tiger Moth VH-MDV at Maitland, NSW (YMND) 21.10.84: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/18560/VH-MDV
11. https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?AirframeSN=18822
12. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-MDV.html
13. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austcl/VH-GWB.html
14. Photo (2015): https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001166268.html
15. Photo (2006): https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000076749.html
16. Photo (2003): https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/123286
17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden_Airport_(New_South_Wales)#Post_war

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Sep-2018 11:32	Pineapple	Added
14-Jan-2022 23:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]