Date:	Friday 29 June 1990
Time:	12:33 LT
Type:	De Havilland DH 82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Ronald W Price/Thomason Enterprise Inc
Registration:	N7966
MSN:	83462
Engine model:	de Havilland GYPSY MAJOR
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Sonoma Valley Airport, Sonoma, California -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Sonoma Valley Airport, Sonoma, CA (OQ3)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN 83462 (Gipsy Major #83746); Built by Moris Motors at Cowley, Oxford for the RAF as T5753 but shipped direct to New Zealand on the s.s "Wairangi" 23.6.40. Taken on charge by the RNZAF as NZ660 at Unit 18, Rongotai, Wellington 29.8.40. To 1 EFTS, Taieri [12.42-1.43]. To 42 Squadron [1943-45].

Struck off charge when sold 18.4.46 to Hawera Aero Club. New Zealand civil registered as ZK-AIW 28.2.46 to Hawera Aero Club. Fitted with canopy (by 8.47) (later removed). Re-registered 17.8.59 to Stratford Aero Club, Stratford. Badly damaged in collision with fence at Kohuratahi, Taranaki, North-east of Marco 23.12.61; repaired and returned to service.

Re-registered 12.10.63 to John N Pleasant, New Plymouth. Re-registered 1.2.65 to Hewett Aviation Ltd, Invercargill. Re-registered 16.12.65 to Southland Gliding Club, Invercargill. Re-registered 28.9.66 to C R Deaker, Dunedin. Sold 14.6.68 to W A MacDonald, USA.

New Zealand registration ZK-AIW cancelled 24.12.68 as 'sold to USA'. Re-registered in the USA as N7966 30.10.69 to Walter A MacDonald, San Jose, California (based Hollister Airport, California). C of A issued 19.12.69. On display at Morgan Hill - Flying Lady Ranch Museum, California, c.6.76 (see photo link #8). On display in South County Aviation Museum, by 1980. Title transferred 20.1.87 to Walter A MacDonald & Mildred E MacDonald, trustees MacDonald Living Trust. Sold 22.6.90 to Ronald W Price/Thomason Enterprise Inc, Sonoma, California.

Badly damaged when stalled and crashed on take-off at Sonoma Valley Airport, Sonoma, California, 29.6.90; according to the summary ofthe NTSB Report into the incident...

"SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 08, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FLYING SPEED AND ENTERED INTO A STALL/MUSH CONDITION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE DESCENT, THE ELEVATOR BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT WAS CONSUMED BY THE ENSUING POST-IMPACT FIRE.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO INADVERTENTLY ENTER INTO A STALL/MUSH CONDITION".

Probably not repaired. Bill of sale amended 4.2.91 to Ronald Price in personal capacity; amended again 28.5.91 to John W Thomason. Re-registered 4.3.92 to John W Thomason, Sonoma, California. Sold 6.7.2001 and re-registered 24.9.2001 to Ed D Carlson, Spokane, Washington. Registration N7966 cancelled and aircraft de-registered 20.2.2018 by FAA as "expired"

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft T1000-V9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
3. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au//nz-serials/nz650.shtml
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p834.html
5. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
6. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac2/NZAM/ZK-AIW.html
7. https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=7966
8. Accident Number: LAX90LA218: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/query-builder?month=6&year=1990
9. Tiger Moth N7966 at Morgan Hill - Flying Lady Ranch Museum, USA - California c.June 1976: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1412132
10. http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/7/N7966.shtm
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma_Valley_Airport

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

23 December 1961

ZK-AIW

Stratford Aero Club

0

Kohuratahi, Taranaki

sub

DH-82 Tiger Moth N7966 at Watsonville, CA on 23.5.70:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Dec-2016 19:25	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
17-Dec-2021 22:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]
17-Dec-2021 23:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
17-Dec-2021 23:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
18-Jan-2022 01:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]