ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 347985
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| Date: | Friday 6 September 1940 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60GIII Moth Major |
| Owner/operator: | 2 EFTS, RNZAF |
| Registration: | NZ521 |
| MSN: | 5115 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RNZAF Bell Block Airbase, New Plymouth Airport, New Plymouth, Taranaki -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RNZAF Bell Block Airbase, New Plymouth Airport, New Plymouth, Taranaki |
| RNZAF Bell Block Airbase, New Plymouth Airport, New Plymouth, Taranaki | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
c/no. 5115 DH 60GIII Moth Major [Gipsy Major engine#5902] to Dominion of New Zealand with C of A 4666 issued 22.1.35. Shipped from the United Kingdom on the s.s. "Rangitane" and arrived on 18.3.35. Trucked to Wigram where it was assembled and test flown before being allocated to the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club on 5.4.35. Registered as ZK-ADL [C of R 25] 3.5.35 to Wairarapa & Ruahine Aero Club, Masterton. Ownership transferred to the club by June 1938 after one thousand flying hours had been reached.
Impressed into military service with the RNZAF as NZ521 9.10.39 and to 2 EFTS New Plymouth; coded "K". Collided with DH.82 NZ745 on landing RNZAF Bell Block Airbase, New Plymouth Airport, New Plymouth, Taranaki 6.9.40; pupil in DH.82 killed. As reported in a contemporary local newspaper (Auckland Star, 2 October 1940, Page 6):
"AIR FORCE ACCIDENT.
PUPIL PILOT'S DEATH.
EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.
NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday.
An inquest into the death of Leading Aircraftsman George William de Vere, pupil pilot aged 23, as a result of injuries received in an accident at the New Plymouth Air Force training school on September 6, was held to-day by Mr. W. H. Woodward, district coroner. In adjourning the inquest for the hearing of evidence by the house surgeon at the hospital, the coroner pointed out that his verdict, when given, would simply relate to the cause of death. It was not his duty to apportion blame.
A leading-aircraftsman involved in the accident said he was flying solo in a Moth Major, doing circuits and landings. When he was 500 or 600 yards from the aerodrome and 200 or 300 feet up, he saw an aeroplane turning across the wind on the ground. He thought he would be well clear of it. Then he saw he was going to be short on the approach and when he got a bit lower, he had to put the motor on. When he flattened out to land, he could not see another aircraft in his path. The first time he realised there was another aeroplane was the moment of the crash. H3 believed he was airborne when he hit the other machine.
Flying-Officer B. L. Haybittle, flying instructor, said as de Vere's machine was coming to a standstill, the other aeroplane approached it at a considerable rate. De Vere's machine was hit in the centre of the fuselage. Just before the collision, de Vere opened the throttle fully, but there was insufficient time to avoid a collision.
Flying Officer F. J. McDonald said de Vere was justified in making a right turn across the ground, which was according to the regulations".
Not repaired and to instructional airframe INST.25 at Woodbourne (later allocated to Rongotai). Written off books at Woodbourne by 1945 (so may not have gone to Rongotai)
Sources:
1. Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 234, 2 October 1940, Page 6: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19401002.2.40.3
2. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/miscairdeaths.html
3. AHSNZ, 1988, Journal, Vol 31 No 2.
4. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
5. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-new-zealand-register/gn-z-zk?highlight=WyJ6ay1hZGwiXQ==
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p051.html
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_ZK-.html
8. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzdh60.htm
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Plymouth_Airport#History
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Nov-2023 08:45 | Ron Averes | Added |
| 25-Feb-2024 02:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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