ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300161
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| Date: | Tuesday 22 January 1946 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | De Havilland DH.94 Moth Minor |
| Owner/operator: | Eric A. Hirst |
| Registration: | VH-AEK |
| MSN: | 94099 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Sea, McKenzie point, Tamarama Bay near Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Mascot, Sydney, NSW (SYD/YSSY) |
mid-1939: Construction commenced by De Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd at Hatfield, England. No British registration allocated. Uncompleted airframe at Hatfield when DH.94 production line shut down in 10.39. Sold to De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Sydney. Shipped to Australia for completion
3.1940: Assembled at Mascot to RAAF order for 41 Moth Minors
21.3.40: Test flown at Mascot, Sydney, NSW
29.3.40: Taken on RAAF charge as A21-34. Received at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW ex De Havillands, Mascot, Sydney
29.3.40: RAAF memo: A21-29, A21-32, A21-34, and A21-36 ferried from Mascot to Richmond on delivery to 2 Aircraft Depot, Richmond
20.9.40: Delivered to Central Flying School, Camden, NSW ex 2 Aircraft Depot
27.3.41: CFS ORB: A21-34 and the other five DH.94s with CFS grounded due splits detected in wing spars in centre section at undercarriage attachment
17.5.41: CFS ORB: After inspection A21-34 approved to be flown to DH at Mascot for repairs
18.5.41: Flown to DH at Mascot for modifications/repairs
15.11.41: Reported Serviceable at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond ex De Havillands at Mascot
1.2.42: Received No.5 Service Flying Training School, Uranquinty, NSW ex 2 Aircraft Depot
8.7.42: Forced landing due engine failure on takeoff at Uranquinty, NSW
11.8.42: RAAF file memo: A21-34 currently held at 5 SFTS, Uranquinty, NSW in serviceable condition
20.12.44: Received 8 EFTS Stored Reserve, Narrandera ex 5 SFTS for storage
22.1.45: Instruction from RAAF HQ: all Moth Minors are "frozen" (grounded) pending disposal by CDC
20.2.45: Included in CDC Tender List No.1 with closing date for tenders 20 February 1945
9.3.45: Tender accepted by Commonwealth Disposals Commission for £100 from A.J. Peardon, Sydney, NSW
21.3.45: DCA allocated registration VH-AEK to a Moth Minor on application by A. J. Peardon, Sydney
26.3.45: RAAF Status card: Collected by A. J. Peardon
7.1945: E.A.Hirst wrote to DCA advising that he has purchased VH-AEK from Mr. A. J. Peardon, who had intended to use the aircraft on his return from New Guinea after his military service. However, Peardon commenced flying instruction with Royal Aero Club of NSW, and decided he was not suited to being a pilot and sold his Moth Minor
7.7.45: Registration application: Eric A. Hirst, "Lyndhurst", Cowra, NSW. A21-34 added in pencil on application form
9.7.45: Registered VH-AEK and C of A issued same day.
22.1.46: Crashed into sea, near Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW. Struck the sea off McKenzie point, Tamarama Bay near Bondi Beach, which was crowded with swimmers. Pilot was performing (unauthorised?) low level aerobatics. Pilot Eric A. Hirst was killed. Eric Hirst held only a restricted private pilot licence, which required him to remain within 3 miles of Mascot aerodrome in Sydney. He was flying over the beach where his girlfriend was watching. Witnesses said he was standing up in the cockpit.
13.2.46: Struck-off Register
Sources:
1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH94.pdf
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p940.html
3. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a21.htm
4. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh94/dh94mothminor.htm
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bondi_Beach
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Oct-2022 22:26 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
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