Date:	Saturday 8 March 1958
Time:	day
Type:	De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Middle Districts Aero Club
Registration:	ZK-BVN
MSN:	85768
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Levin, Manawatu 4 -   New Zealand
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Palmerston North, Milson, Manawatū-Whanganui Region,New Zealand (NZPM)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 85768: Taken on charge as DE883, nominally at 15 MU RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire 19.11.42. However, placed into long-term storage in ‘purgatory’ in the Oxfordshire area; presumed returned to Morris Motors, Cowley, Oxford for erection [at an unknown date, but probably April 1944]. To 15 Group Communcations Flight, RAF Speke, Liverpool 25.4.44. To 12 MU RAF Kirkbride, Cumberland 23.11.44 for long-term storage. To 25 RFS (Reserve Flying School), RAF Pendeford, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire 16.6.50; operated by Leeds UAS (University Air Squadron), coded "RUY-A". To 24 RFS (Reserve Flying School) RAF Rochester, Kent 16.8.50, coded "15". To 10 MU RAF Hullavington, Chippenham, Wiltshire 22.9.52 for storage pedning disposal.

Struck off charge when sold 5.11.53 to W A Rollason Ltd, Croydon Airport, Croydon, Surrey. UK civil registered as G-ANSU (CofR R4640/1) 29.6.54 to W A Rollason Ltd, Croydon. C of A A4640 issued 30.7.54. Fitted with Gipsy Major #83331. Registration G-ANSU cancelled 5.8.54 as 'sold to New Zealand'.

New Zealand civil registered as ZK-BGY 9.11.54 to Middle Districts Aero Club, Palmerston North (but see comments on DE955/ZK-BGY). New Zealand C of A issued 11.8.55. Registration ZK-BGY cancelled 16.12.57. Rebuilt and reg-registered as ZK-BVN 24.12.57 to same owner. Badly damaged in collision with Tiger ZK-BGX at Levin, Horowhenua Horowhenua District, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. 8.3.59; pilot B Nairn

(Levin is the largest town and seat of the Horowhenua District, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located east of Lake Horowhenua, around 95 km north of Wellington and 50 km southwest of Palmerston North).

Re-registered 9.7.60 to T G Evans, Nelson. Re-registered 27.8.63 to Nelson Gliding Club, Nelson. [See link #5 for photo of ZK-BVN dated 17.1.65] Re-registered 26.7.65 to Wellington Gliding Club, Lower Hutt. Re-registered 3.2.67 to E J Schroder, Auckland. Re-registered 11.10.67 to Dennis Thompson Ltd, Auckland. Re-registered 23.9.68 to RNZAF Aviation Sports Club, t/a BVN Tiger Syndicate, Hobsonville. Re-registered 25.10.78 to Flying Officeer D W Phillips, Ohakea.

On rebuild Woodbourne [by 1978 - see link #6 for photo dated April 1979]. Sold [by 1984] and re-registered 18.12.87 to Brian T & L Rankine, Palmerston North. On overhaul [1999]. Re-registered as ZK-BTR 6.8.2003 to same owner; rebuild nearing completion [3.2013]. Currently registered.

Note: By August 1960, ZK-BGX’s logbook showed its identity as DE883 (G-ANSU/ZK-BVN); it remains unclear whether the two airframes or just the paperwork had been swapped at some stage (possibly on delivery to New Zealand in 1954). A fuselage plate attached to ZK-BGX also implied it was ex DE883.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft DA100-DZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain. 1987 p.17)
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ANSU.pdf
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p857.html
4. http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
5. Tiger Moth ZK-BVN at Nelson Airport, Nelson New Zealand (NZNS) on 17.1.65: https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001033234.html
6. Tiger Moth ZK-BVN undergoing rebuilt at Hastings (Bridge Pa) (NZHS), New Zealand April 1979: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1402980/
7. https://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/280191
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levin,_New_Zealand

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

6 March 1960	ZK-BVN	Middle Districts Aero Club	0	Levin, Manawatu 4		sub
12 October 1960	ZK-BVN	T.G. Evans	0	Christchurch Airport, Harewood, Christchurch		sub

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-May-2009 12:58	XLerate	Added
23-Sep-2021 15:17	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
22-Nov-2021 05:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category]
22-Nov-2021 05:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
22-Nov-2021 16:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
21-Jan-2022 21:30	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, Location]
13-Feb-2022 03:47	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]