Date:	Thursday 11 December 1930
Time:	07:00
Type:	De Havilland DH.60X Moth seaplane
Owner/operator:	Royal Singapore Flying Club
Registration:	G-EBUJ
MSN:	450
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Keppel Harbour, Singapore Harbour, off Sentosa Island -   Singapore
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Keppel Harbour, Singapore Harbour, off Sentosa Island, Singapore
Destination airport:	Keppel Harbour, Singapore Harbour, off Sentosa Island, Singapore
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
c/no. 450: DH.60X Seaplane [Cirrus II #168]. Registered G-EBUJ [C of R 1490] 27.9.27 to The Singapore Flying Club. C of A 1286 issued 13.1.28. Erected and first flown at Kallang, Singapore 19.4.28 (17.4.28? – if named "Cherub"); named "Cherub" 28.4.28 (or possibly "Humming Bird"; note that G-EBUJ and G-EBUK were named "Cherub" and "Humming Bird" - but it is not clear which aircraft had which name). Sank at moorings Singapore Harbour early October 1928 (sources vary as to the date: either 2/3.10.28 or 3/4.10.28); salvaged with minor damage only, rebuilt and re-flown 3.11.28. Fitted Cirrus III engine in 1930, and reportedly fitted with new fuselage 1.30.

Spun into sea off Keppel Harbour, Singapore Harbour, off Sentosa Island, Singapore 11.12.30 returning from height test; pilot Lionel F. Willis-Johnson (aged 24) drowned. Lost control in a turn at 800 ft and crashed into the harbour.

Keppel Harbour, also called the Keppel Channel and formerly New Harbour, is a stretch of water in Singapore between the mainland and the southern islands of Pulau Brani and Sentosa (formerly Pulau Blakang Mati).

Subsequent History
Rebuilt with Cirrus Hermes II engine (although reportedly as a landplane & based Johore, it is thought it might have remained a seaplane) in early 1932. Owner renamed Royal Singapore Flying Club as of 31,7.32. Reported as rebuilt as landplane in 1933 [for aerobatic use] and fitted with Cirrus III [again]; however, this is unconfirmed, since it was on inventory in 1934 as a seaplane. Registration cancelled 1.9.34 as withdrawn from use.

Registered VR-SAG 14.7.34 to Royal Singapore Flying Club [as a seaplane]. Converted to landplane in 1937; fitted with Gipsy I engine. Impressed into 'A' Flight, Malayan Volunteer Air Force 1.12.41.

Impressed into Malayan Volunteer Air Force, "A" Flight 1.12.41. The Unit was formed at Kallang 1.12.41 with six Moths [VR-SAF, VR-SAG, VR-SAI, VR-SBH, VR-RAS and VR-RAT]. One was destroyed at Singapore in January 1942 in an air collision with a RAF Brewster Buffalo.

Five survivors ferried to Palembang Airfield, Talang Betutu, South Sumatra 4.2.42. One damaged beyond repair after wing spar hit by bullet near Palemburg. VR-SBH is believed to have been one of the four remaining MVAF DH.60 Moths destroyed in the Japanese attack on Palemburg airfield 14.2.42.

1. FLYING CLUB 'PLANE CRASHES INTO SEA—PILOT KILLED. FATAL FLYING ACCIDENT: The Straits Times, 11 December 1930, Page 11: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19301211-1.2.45
2. FLYING CLUB FATALITY: The Straits Times, 12 December 1930, Page 13: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19301212-1.2.52
3. FLYING CLUB CRASH INQUEST. The Straits Times, 16 December 1930, Page 14: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19301216-1.2.65
4. Cairns Post (Cairns, Qld.) Saturday 13 Dec 1930 Page 5 FATAL SINGAPORE CRASH: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/41116835
5. Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië 16-12-1930
6. https://ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A1.html
8. https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-EBUJ.pdf
9. https://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_VR-S.html
10. As G-EBUJ: http://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-great-bitain-registers-g-eb/g-eb-part-2?highlight=WyJnLWVidWsiXQ==
11. As VR-SAG: http://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-other-registers/vo-vp-vr?highlight=WyJ2ci1zYmgiXQ==
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keppel_Harbour

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

14 February 1942

VR-SAG

'A' Flt Malayan Volunteer Air Force

0

Palembang Airfield, Talang Betutu, South Sumatra

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
23-Jul-2020 20:01	Cobar	Added
23-Jul-2020 20:03	Cobar	Updated [Time]
05-Jan-2024 07:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]