Date:	Thursday 5 November 1959
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Air-Mist (Pty) Ltd
Registration:	VH-BSW
MSN:	DHA.49
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Riverton, Gilbert Valley, SA -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Riverton, Gilbert Valley, SA
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Struck power lines and crashed Riverton, Gilbert Valley, SA 5.11.59 while crop spraying/top-dressing. According to the summary of the DCA Report into the incident (see link #6)

"The aircraft collided with power cables which the pilot had previously observed but temporarily overlooked".

Registration VH-BSW cancelled 1.9.60. Riverton is a small town in the Mid North of South Australia, in the Gilbert Valley. It is situated on the Gilbert River, from which the town derives its name

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. Gilbert Valley News (Riverton, SA) 6 November 1959: https://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=976#Riverton
3. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/12727:vh-bsw-1
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus0.html
5. https://www.tasaeroclub.au/about
6. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
7. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17a.htm
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._7_Elementary_Flying_Training_School_RAAF#History
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Launceston_Airport#History
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverton,_South_Australia

c/no. DHA,49 (Gipsy Major #86254) Toc as A17-52 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond 30.7.40. To 4 EFTS Mascot, Sydney, NSW 16.8.40. Crashed at Mascot, Sydney, 27.12.40: Forced landing - nosed over in high grass. Damage to fuselage, tailplane, ribs, rudder, fin, upper mainplanes and fabric on lower main planes. Repaired and returned to service.

Overturned on take-off Mascot, Sydney, NSW 19.2.41; While taking off, swung to left and tipped on nose. Port and starboard upper mainplanes damaged beyond repair. To Butler Air Transport, Mascot 27.2.41 for repairs and fitting new mainplanes. Work held up awaiting drawings 14.3.41. Notified as \\'awaiting replacement engine\\' at BAT Mascot 16.7.41. Forced landing at Mascot due to engine failure 1.9.41: no damage reported

Upon completion returned to 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond 6.9.41. To 2 EFTS RAAF Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland 20.9.41. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Victoria 20.4.42 for shipment to Tasmania. To 7 EFTS Western Junction. Launceston, Tasmania 12.5.42. Struck tree low-flying 5 miles South of Western Junction 28.5.43; Trainee pilot low flying contrary to regulations struck tree with structural damage to mainplane. Repaired and returned to service. To Care & Maintenance Unit Western Junction 1.6.45; put up for sale 6.12.45.

Sold 31.5.46 to Tasmanian Aero Club for £90; issued to them 26.5.46. Registered VH-BSW (C of R 2351) 9.1.57 to Air-Mist (Pty) Ltd, Launceston, Tasmania.

Written off (destroyed) when struck power lines and crashed at Riverton, Gilbert Valley, SA 5.11.59 while crop spraying/top-dressing as per the above. Registration VH-BSW cancelled 1.9.60.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Apr-2025 06:20	Dr. John Smith	Added
02-Apr-2025 06:20	ASN	Updated [Narrative, ]
16-Apr-2025 09:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]