Date:	Sunday 7 April 1968
Time:	day
Type:	De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Leslie F Karl & Partners
Registration:	ZK-CDU
MSN:	3581
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Ardmore Aerodrome, Auckland -   New Zealand
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Banner and glider towing
Departure airport:	Ardmore Aerodrome, Manurewa, Auckland New Zealand (NZAR)
Destination airport:	Ardmore Aerodrome, Manurewa, Auckland New Zealand (NZAR)
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 3581 (Gipsy Major #80023); Taken on charge as L6926 at Airwork Ltd/14 E&RFTS RAF Castle Bromwich, Warwickshire in 1937. Unit renamed 14 EFTS upon outbreak of war 3.9.39. Crashed at Castle Bromwich 6.8.40; to 4 MU RAF Cowley, Oxford for repairs 12.8.40. Upon completion of repairs, to 45 MU RAF Kinloss 30.9.40. To Taylorcraft at Rearsby, Leicestershire for repairs and overhaul 30.1.41. To Glider Training Squadron, RAF Thame, Haddenham, Oxfordshire 12.4.41. To 20 MU RAF Aston Down, Michinhampton, Gloucestershire 15.12.41. To 653 Squadron, RAF Farnborough, Hampshire 2.7.42. To 654 Squadron, RAF Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire 22.8.42; to RAF Firbeck 9.42. To 33 MU, RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire 15.12.42. To 5 MU, RAF Kemble. Gloucestershire 15.4.43.

Transferred to Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm charge 1.10.43. To 761 Squadron, HMS Dipper, RNAS Henstridge 8.1.44. To 758 Squadron, HMS Godwit, RNAS Hinstock [7.44-1.45]. To AHU (Aircraft Holding Unit) HMS Blackcap, RNAS Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire [by 7.46]. To Receipt & Despatch Unit, HMS Hornbill, RNAS Culham, Oxfordshire 2.7.49. To 727 Squadron, HMS Sikin, RNAS Gosport, Hampshire 18.7.49; coded "239". Unit disbanded 17.1.50 and stored at RNAS Gosport pending disposal

Struck off charge when sold from Gosport 5.2.51. At The Wiltshire School of Flying Ltd, Thruxton, Andover, Hampshire (by 7.51). UK civil registered as G-ALAD (C of R R3312/1) 14.6.51 to The Wiltshire School of Flying Ltd, Thruxton (regd as 'T6296' in error). C of A issued 24.7.51. Registration G-ALAD cancelled 21.2.52 as 'sold aboard - Australia'.

In fact, went to New Zealand, and re-registered in New Zealand as ZK-BAW 18.11.52 to Aerial Superspread Ltd, Gisborne. New Zealand C of A issued 8.11.52. Withdrawn from use in 1955. Re-registered 30.5.56 to C H R Liddell, Te Awamatu, for spares use. Registration ZK-BAW cancelled 13.7.60. Re-registered ZK-CDU 26.11.63 to C H R Liddell, Auckland; rebuilt and reflown 14.5.64. Re-registered 10.6.64 to Leslie F Karl & Partners, Auckland.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed on landing Ardmore Aerodrome, 3 nm south-east of Manurewa, Auckland 7.4.68; pilot (owner) Leslie F Karl. The aircraft was engaged in glider towing operations. The towrope was attached to the centre of gravity hook on the glider, however the glider pilot had little prior experience of being towed with the rope attached in that position. The glider pilot climbed while on tow until he lost sight of the tow aircraft leaving no ability of either pilot to release towrope. The tail of the tow aircraft was lifted by the glider until the tow aircraft entered a dive then the tow rope broke, leaving insufficient height before the aircraft impacted the ground.

Rebuilt by Ian Bennie, at Ardmore, Auckland in 1974. Re-registered 2.5.75 to Peter E Upton, A Moore-Carter, W W Renouf & E Kuegler, Auckland. Re-registered 21.4.82 to W W [Tony] Renouf & Peter E Upton, Clevedon. Sold 9.1988 to Upton Family Trust, Kaitaia; stored [2.2000]; rebuilt and delivered 8.6.2002 by air to Ashburton Aviation Museum, Lismore and still on display [1.2019]. Registration ZK-CDU cancelled 25.7.2011 as WFU ("Withdrawn From Use"),

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1977)
2. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant. Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004)
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ALAD.pdf
4. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p035.html
6. Tiger Moth ZK-CDU at Ardmore, Auckland (NZAR) 16.4.66: https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000175926.html
7. http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
8. Tiger Moth ZK-CDU at Ashburton Aviation Museum 24.3.2016: https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001190383.html
9. https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=123188
10. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/ZK-CDU?f=&f=&sort=date_taken_formatted&order=asc
11. http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2011/07/cancelled-but-in-good-hands-zk-cdu.html
12. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/57563-zk-cdu-1

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-May-2009 12:58	XLerate	Added
06-Jun-2011 00:10	karaka	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Damage, Narrative]
29-Dec-2021 14:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
16-Jan-2022 04:56	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
26-Jan-2022 04:46	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type]