Date:	Tuesday 2 April 1940
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH.60X Moth
Owner/operator:	South African Air Force (SAAF)
Registration:	ZS-AKO
MSN:	501
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Doringpoort, 90 miles North West of Pretoria, North West Province -   South Africa
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	SAAF Pretoria
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Written off (destroyed) 2.4.40 when crashed at Doringpoort, 90 miles North West of Pretoria, North West Province, South Africa following a bird strike at 500 feet. Pupil Pilot Jozua ESTERHUIZEN (SAAF 47820) killed. Buried at Hartebeesfontein Farm Burial Ground, Rustenburg, South Africa

Note: as confirmed by the CWGC database, the fatal accident occurred on 2 April 1940, and not, as per some published sources, on 2 February 1940.

1. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_ZS-1.html
3. https://www.dehavilland.co.za/DH60_Moth_construction_numbers_and_histories.htm
4. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-EBVJ.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_VP-Y.html
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy//reg_VP-R.html
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p005.html
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?23881-1940-Unaccounted-Airmen-Database-Reconciliation/page3&p=138732#post138732
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=ZS-AKO
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/991286/jozua-esterhuizen/
11. https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/jozua-esterhuizen-birth-1919-death-1940/163989272

c/no. 501 DH.60X Moth [Cirrus II #154] registered as G-EBVJ [C of R 1533] 3.12.27 to Lieutenant Commander George Pearson Glen Kidston, London W1 (based Stag Lane; probably not delivered). C of A 1262 issued 13.12.27. Registered [C of R 1552] 16.1.28 to Squadron Leader Charles Sandford Wynne-Eyton, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia; operated on joy-riding trips. British C of A lapsed 12.12.28 [but probably still flown in Southern Rhodesia despite this].

Re-registered [C of R 2675] 10.6.30 to Cyril Stewart Meikle, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. Registration G-EBVJ cancelled 12.30 as 'sold abroad'. Registered in Southern Rhodesia as VP-YAE 28.10.30 to Cyril S Meikle, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia.

Re-registered 17.10.31 to A Veasey, Luanshya, Northern Rhodesia. Re-registered in 1934 in Northern Rhodesia as VP-RAB. Registration cancelled in 1937 as 'sold in South Africa'. First registered in South Africa 30.4.37 as ZS-AKO.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
31-Jan-2024 13:00	Dr. John Smith	Added
06-Feb-2024 19:15	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]