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| Date: | Saturday 14 January 1950 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  De Havilland DH-89B Dominie |
| Owner/operator: | NZ National Airways Corporation |
| Registration: | ZK-ALC |
| MSN: | 6664 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Rotorua Aerodrome, Rotorua -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Rotorua, New Zealand (ROT/NZRO) |
| Hamilton Airport (Rukuhia), NZ (HLZ/NZHN) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
c/no. 6664: Taken on charge by the RAF as HG665 against Contract No.6/Acft/2580/C20a at 76 MU 11.10.43. Shipped to Auckland, New Zealand on s.s. 'Port Alma' 17.10.43; arrived 26.11.43. To RNZAF as NZ529 and taken on charge at Hobsonville. To 42 Squadron, Rongotai. Struck off charge when sold 30.4.46.
Registered ZK-ALC 30.8.46 to New Zealand National Airways Corporation, Wellington and named ' Tiora '
On 14.1.50, whilst it was being started up at Rotorua for the return to Rukuhia the port engine backfired and grass underneath the aircraft caught fire. The pilot and his four passengers evacuated the aircraft safely, but action by the ground crew was unable to prevent the aircraft (and the passengers luggage...) from being destroyed by fire.
As reported in a contemporary local newspaper (The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Monday 16 January 1950 Page 10 PLANE DESTROYED BY FIRE):
"PLANE DESTROYED BY FIRE
AUCKLAND. Jan. 15.
Fire destroyed a National Airways Dominie aircraft at Rotorua aerodrome on Saturday afternoon.
The port motor backfired as the engines were warming up for the take-off.
The flames spread rapidly along the wings and fuselage and within a few minutes the whole machine was blazing. The pilot and four passengers, including a honeymoon couple, escaped, but all the luggage was lost."
Sources:
1. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzdh89b.htm
2. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh89.pdf
3. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac2/NZAM/ZK-ALC.html
4. http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/12612?page=1
5. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/30660707?search%5Bi%5D%5Bsubject%5D=DH.89+%28Transport+plane%29&search%5Bpath%5D=items
6. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/ground-fire-de-havilland-dh89b-dominie-inn-rotorua
7. http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/26070/oh-bugger-happened
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p066.html
9. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Monday 16 January 1950 Page 10 PLANE DESTROYED BY FIRE): https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50213847
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotorua_Airport#History
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Nov-2008 01:04 | angels one five | Added |
| 30-Dec-2011 10:57 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Mar-2014 19:55 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Mar-2014 19:57 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 23-May-2018 19:10 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, ] |
| 21-Feb-2019 17:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ] |
| 02-Oct-2021 12:34 | Ron Averes | Updated [Operator, ] |
| 22-Jan-2022 09:11 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, ] |
| 11-Mar-2025 07:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
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