ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 27188
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| Date: | Sunday 18 September 1932 |
| Time: | 14:30 LT |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth |
| Owner/operator: | New England Airways |
| Registration: | VH-UPM |
| MSN: | 2052 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Myocum, near Byron Bay, 20m NNE Lismore, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Lismore, NSW |
| Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland (BNE/YBBN) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Crashed and destroyed 18.9.32: Crossing Burringbar Range at about 100 feet, just below cloud, the aircraft was caught in a sudden down draught. It appeared to turn a somersault in the air. The pilot, Ralph Virtue, managed to right the aircraft, but then the left wing and rudder broke off. It dived sideways, crashing into the ground at Myocum, near Byron Bay, 20 miles North North East of Lismore, NSW, with tremendous force killing all 3 on board; (pilot Ralph Virtue plus passengers Captain Les Holden and Dr George R Hamilton). Registration cancelled 23.9.32.
Following the fatal in-flight structural failure of VH-UPM on 18.9.32, the CAB grounded all Australian Puss Moths five days later by cancelling their CofRs and CofAs. Great concern over reported wing flutter, tailplane strength and wing design strength. Investigations into the airworthiness of the type took place in Australia, United Kingdom and by the manufacturer, concentrating on wing flutter, tailplane strength and wing structural integrity. Testing by the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough recommended a stabilising strut be fitted to the forward leg of the wing V struts, and this was one of many modifications adopted.
In Australia the type remained grounded until the following year until mandatory modifications to strengthen the wing structure were finalised. When installed, each Puss Moth had its certification renewed individually.
Sources:
1. Virtue In Flying - authoress Joan Priest.
A biography of pioneer aviator Keith Virtue.
2. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austu/VH-UPM.html
3. http://www.warbirdsdirectory.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh80/dh80.htm
4. http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA267086
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_VH-U1.html
6. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh80-puss-moth-byron-bay-3-killed
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Holden#Post-war_career_and_legacy
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 04-Jul-2009 02:22 | Paul Lomas | Updated |
| 23-Feb-2013 20:47 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Apr-2014 20:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-May-2020 19:45 | Sergey L. | Updated [Source] |
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