ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 222443
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 24 June 1959 |
| Time: | c. 18:00 |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Singapore Flying Club |
| Registration: | VR-SCX |
| MSN: | 433 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | South China Sea, off Pulau Bukom, Straits of Singapore -
 Singapore
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Paya Lebar Air Base, Singapore (WSAP) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth DHA.433; Built by DH Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Taken on charge as A17-391 at 2 Aircraft Depot, Richmond 21.6.41. To 11 EFTS Benalla 25.7.41. To 8 EFTS Narrandera 30.3.42. To DH Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW 9.8.43 for overhaul; to 2 AP 13.10.43 upon completion of work. To 10 EFTS Temora 15.10.43. To storage reserve 7.5.45; transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 12.3.46. Put up 'for sale' 7.6.46.
Struck off charge when sold 2.6.47 for £60 to M J Currington, Sydney; issued 30.6.47. Australian civil registered as VH-BDZ (C of R 1483) 18.10.47 to Mauri B Jackson, Sydney. Australina registration VH-BDZ cancelled 7.6.49 as sold to Singapore.
Re-registered in Singapore as VR-SCX 19.7.49 to Royal Singapore Flying Club, Kallang. Moved to Paya Lebar Air Base when Hallang closeed in 1955.
Written off (destroyed) when crashed into the South China Sea off off Pulau Bukom, Singapore 25.6.59: Crashed in sea due to rudder failure. Pilot Flying Oficer George Paul and Ian Duncan (Pupil Pilot Under Training) rescued injured. Airplane not salvaged. According to a contemporary newspaper report (The Straits Times 25 June 1959, p.1 - see link #1):
"L-FLYER (On First Flight) LANDS IN SEA
SINGAPORE, Wed-
Learner pilot Ian Duncan went up for his first flying lession in a Tiger Moth today - and came home dripping wet, by Customs Launch.
He and his instructor, Flying Officer George Paul, took off at 6 p.m. in the plane, which belonged to the Royal Flying Club.
Once airborne, Flying Officer Paul suggested that they set course to fly past the P & O Liner "Strathaird", in honour of a fellow club member, Eric Mitchell, who was going to Britain on the liner. Here is the eyewitness account,vas recounted by Mr. Duncan:
'We were 1,000 feet over the liner. After a while, I noticed that we were going around in circles all the time. Then, in a matter-of-fact tone, George informed me over the intercom: I think that we are going to ditch - the rudder has stuck. At 100 feet, George warned me over the intercom that the aircraft was out of control. Minutes later, the plane hit the water at about 35 knots'
They unbuckled their safety straps and climbed onto the fusleage of the plane. The 'Strathaird' steamed on majestically, about two miles away. Mr. Duncan continued 'The sea was choppy. Then I saw the 'Strathaird' slow down, turn around and head towards us. We were overjoyed'.
'The Tiger Moth stayed afloat for about 20 minutes. Then, it sank, and we had to kick off our shoes, and swim until the Strathaid's lifeboat came along'".
In a follow up article dated 4 July 1959 (see link #2), the same newspaper reported:
"TIGER MOTH WILL STAY AT BOTTOM OF SEA
SINGAPORE. Fri-
The Royal Singapore Flying Club has decided not to salvage its $5,000 Tiger Moth which crashed In the sea off Pulau Bukom last month. It is not worth salvaging. Club officials and members are still baffled about the cause".
The reported crash site of Pulau Bukom, also known as Pulau Bukum, is a small restricted-access island belonging to Singapore that is located about five kilometres to the south of Mainland Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore. The size of Pulau Bukom is about 1.45 km².
Sources:
1. The Straits Times 25 June 1959, p.1: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19590625-1.2.11
2. The Straits Times 4 July 1959, p.2 : https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/issue/straitstimes19590704-1
3. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17b.htm
4. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/11561-vh-bdz-1
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus4.html
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulau_Bukom
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paya_Lebar_Air_Base#History
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Mar-2019 09:19 | TB | Added |
| 22-Jun-2019 13:21 | Cobar | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 04-Dec-2021 21:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation