Date:	Friday 3 November 1950
Time:	c. 18:00
Type:	de Havilland Australia DH.82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	The Truscott Club for Aeronauts
Registration:	VH-APM
MSN:	82566 (DHA.12)
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	5 Nelson Street, Umina Beach, 3 miles from Woy Woy, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Harrington, NSW
Destination airport:	Bankstown Airport, Sydney, NSW (BWU/YSBK)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Tiger Moth VH-APM written off (destroyed) 3.11.50 when lost control in a severe rainstorm and crashed into a cottage at 5 Nelson Street, Umina Beach, 3 miles from Woy Woy, NSW. As reported in a contemporary local newspaper (The Age, Melbourne, Victoria 4 November 1950 p.1):

PLANE CRASHES ON ROOFROP IN GALE:
SYDNEY, Friday.
Forced down in a heavy squall which struck the central coast shortly after six o'clock this evening, a single seater Tiger Moth plane crashed on the roof of an unoccupied cottage at Umina Beach. The plane, was badly smashed. Umina Beach is in the Woy Woy district.

The airman, Myles Willison Morris, 21, engineer, of Middle Street; Kingsford, stepped out of the plane, but then fell about 10 feet from the roof to the ground. He had been badly dazed in the 'crash.

The crash was heard by residents nearby and when they rushed to the scene, they saw Mr. Morris, staggering about. They took him to a doctor, who sent him to Gosford hospital, where he was admitted suffering from concussion and severe shock. Late tonight the hospital authorities said that his condition was satisfactory.

Mr. Morris said he had been flying from Harrington, near Taree, with the intention of landing at Bankstown. Gales struck the machine as it went over Terrigal, and a few minutes later the plane got out of control in the squall and he was forced to seek an emergency landing.

The house where Mr. Morris landed is only a few hundred yards from the emergency strip, which is a mile long"

Umina Beach is a suburb within the Central Coast Council local government area on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Umina Beach is situated 85 kilometres (53 miles) north of Sydney and 111 kilometres (69 miles) south of Newcastle.

Umina Beach is locally known on the Central Coast as being on 'The Peninsula' (or 'Woy Woy Peninsula'). A natural peninsula that includes the towns of Umina Beach, Woy Woy, Blackwall, Booker Bay and Ettalong Beach. Moving from north to south, Umina Beach begins where Woy Woy and Blackwall end.

NOTE: Despite the above incident, Tiger Moth VH-APM was repaired/rebuilt and flew again in July 1953, only to crash (again) on 12.3.57 and for the 3rd and final time on 20.3.59 (see below for the full history 1939-1959).

1. The Age (Melbourne, Vic) 4 November 1950 p.1: PLANE CRASHES ON ROOFROP IN GALE: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206409425
2. The Canberra Times (Canberra ACT) Satuday 4 November 1950 Page 2 PLANE CRASHES ON HOUSE: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2806667
3. The Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate (Gosford, NSW) Tuesday 7 Nov 1950 Page 1 Plane Crashes On Roof: Pilot's Lucky Escape: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167221398
4. Facebook postings (confirms address of crash): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1714918278800559/posts/2773064782985898/ and https://www.facebook.com/uminabeachcomau/posts/1059983497949364/
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p825.html
6. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/10348-vh-apm-1
7. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
8. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17a.htm
9. https://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa2/VH-APM.html
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umina_Beach,_New_South_Wales

DeHavilland UK c/nos. 82555-82574 were supplied without engines to DeHavilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW as "fuselage and parts only" and were given c/n’s DHA.1 to 20 and RAAF serials as A17-1 to A17-20 after assembly by DeHavilland Australia in 1939 using locally built wings.

c/no. 82666 [also DHA.12] (Gipsy Major engine #9034): Taken on charge as A17-12 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond 26.8.39. To 22 Squadron RAAF 8.11.39. To 2 EFTS RAAF Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland 5.1.40. To 4 EFTS RAAF Mascot, Sydney, NSW 4.11.40. Fitted in February 1941 with a new engine (Gipsy Major #9021). To 1 Aircraft Depot 29.5.41. To 1 Wireless & Gunnery School 25.6.41. To NAC for inspection 23.11.41. To 3 Wireless & Gunnery School 27.3.42. To 2 Aircraft Depot 14.9.42. To 1 AOS 21.12.42. To 5 EFTS RAAF Narromine 31.12.42 [or 18.1.43?] for storage. To 5 Aircraft Depot RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 23.6.44 and stored pending disposal. Put up for disposal 6.12.45. To CMU RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 1.3.46.

Struck off charge when sold 18.3.46 to Mr Bridgewater, t/a Shark Patrol Service Co, Sydney, NSW for £250; issued to him 9.4.46. Registered as VH-APM 3.10.46 to New England Airways, Mascot, Sydney, NSW. Registration cancelled 20.10.47. Registration restored 15.11.49 to same owner. Re-registered 16.11.49 to The Truscott Club for Aeronauts, Bankstown.

Crashed into cottage Umina Beach, 3 miles from Woy Woy, NSW 3.11.50 (as per the above). Registration VH-APM cancelled 9.1.51. Registration restored 9.7.53 to Archibald Mills, Sans Souci, NSW. Re-registered 12.8.53 to Airmech, t/a Illawarra Flying School, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Re-registered in December 1953 to Neil M McInnes, t/a Farmair, Gippsland, Victoria. Badly damaged on take-off Hallston, Victoria 12.3.57; repaired. Crashed into hill when crop spraying/top dressing near Foster, Victoria 20.3.59. Registration cancelled 10.4.59.

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


20 March 1959

VH-APM

Neil M McInnes, t/a Farmair, Gippsland, Victoria

0

near Foster, South Gippsland Shire, Victoria

w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Mar-2025 15:55	Cobar	Added
31-Mar-2025 16:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]