Date:	Tuesday 8 February 1955
Time:	12:00
Type:	de Havilland Australia DH.82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Mrs Gertrude J McKenzie, t/a McKenzie Flying School
Registration:	VH-CHS
MSN:	DHA.260
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Northcote Football Oval, McDonnell Park, Northcote, Victoria -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne, Victoria (MBW/YMMB)
Destination airport:	Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne, Victoria (MBW/YMMB)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-CHS substantially damaged 8.2.55 when crashed into power lines during forced landing and written off Northcote Football Oval, McDonnell Park, Clifton Street, Northcote, Victoria 8.2.55. Emergency landing after getting lost in overcast, hit a telephone pole and a fence. nosed over and crashed.

Despite initial assessments that Tiger Moth VH-CHS was a write off, it was repaired and returned to service, being involved in a further three crash incidents until finally being destroyed on 7.12.58. (See below for full history 1941-1960)

1. The Age (Melbourne, Vic.) 9 February 1955 p.3
2. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
3. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17a.htm
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus2.html
5. https://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austcl/VH-CHS.html
6. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/13696:vh-chs-1
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northcote_Park_Football_Club
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northcote,_Victoria#Parks

c/no. DHA.260: Taken on charge as A17-241 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond 3.2.41. To 4 EFTS RAAF Mascot, Sydney, NSW 24.2.41. To 10 EFTS RAAF Temora 20.4.42. Crashed on landing at Temora 11.9.42; to DeHavilland Australia, Mascot, Sydney 21.9.42 for repairs. To 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond 18.11.42. To 1 AOS RAAF Cootamundra 23.11.42. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla 1.12.42; withtawn to storage reserve 7.5.45. Transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 1.3.46; put up for sale 7.6.46.

Sold 2.6.47 for £60 to P Burke, Coburg, Victoira; issued to him 25.7.47. Registered as VH-CHS (C of R 1432) 23.12.47 to Charles H Seears, East St Kilda, Victoria. Re-registered 31.5.48 to J.W. McKean, Heidelberg West, Victoria. Re-registered 17.8.53 to Mrs Gertrude J McKenzie, t/a McKenzie Flying School, Mordialloc, Victoria.

Crashed Northcote, Victoria 8.2.55 as per the above. However repaired and returned to service: re-registered 16.3.55 to Schutt Aircraft Sales & Service, Moorabbin, Melbourne, Victoria. Re-registered 21.9.55 to Schutt Aircraft Pty Ltd, Moorabbin, Melbourne, Victoria. Re-registered 22.6.56 to Schutt Airfarmers Pty Ltd,
Moorabbin, Melbourne. Crashed while crop spraying/topdressaing at Rupanyup, Victoira 13.10.56; repaired and returned to service. Damaged in crash at Moyhu, Victoira 6.11.57; repaired and returned to service. Crashed (for the final time) into trees while crop-dusting at Moyhu, Victoira 7.12.58; pilot killed. Registration VH-CHS cancelled 2.9.60.

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


7 December 1958

VH-CHS

Schutt Airfarmers Pty Ltd

0

Moyhu, near Wangaratta, Victoria

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Jan-2025 12:07	Cobar	Added
02-Apr-2025 10:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]