Date:	Sunday 28 December 1947
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Wollongong & South Coast Aviation Services
Registration:	VH-AUF
MSN:	DHA.125
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Gray's Beach, Shoalhaven River, near Nowra, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Wollongong Airport, Woolongong, NSW (WOL/YSWL)
Destination airport:	HMAS Albatross (RANAS Nowra), Nowra, NSW
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-AUF, Wollongong & South Coast Aviation Services, Wollongong, NSW. Written off (damaged beyond repair) when struck overhead HT power cables and crashed into the Shoalhaven River, near Gray's Beach, Nowra, NSW 28.12.47, Pilot Ernest Reid rescued from the river by a boat. As reported at the time in a contemporary local newspaper (The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld.) Monday 29 December 1947 Page 1:

"AMAZING ESCAPES IN PLANE CRASH
SYDNEY, December 28.-
There were amazing escapes when a Moth airplane hit high voltage transmission lines at Nowra today, catapulting the aircraft into the Shoalhaven River, and broken live wires fell on a holiday camping area. Three men were injured, the pilot and two men who were struck by live wires on the camping area. Several districts were blacked out tonight because of the broken lines.

The injured men, whose condition is not serious, are: Ernest Reid, 27, of Wollongong, pilot, who sustained facial injuries, and severe shock: Leslie Worrell, 51, of Rockdale who sustained burns and severe shock and E. Brown, 24, of Matraville, treated at the scene for shock.

A witness of the accident said the plane was flying upstream over the Shoalhaven River when the undercarriage collided with, a number of 11,000-volt high tension transmission lines. Three of the lines were carried away and the plane catapulted 150 yards, falling into the river. The pilot was rescued by a boat. The broken lines, still alive, fell over a holiday camping area at Gray's Beach. One of the wires struck Leslie Worrell, knocking him to the ground. Mr. E Brown was struck by the end of a wire which, threw him clear, about 10 feet away."

Registration VH-AUF cancelled 29.12.47

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld.) Monday 29 December 1947 Page 1: AMAZING ESCAPES IN PLANE CRASH: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56805537
3. The Inverell Times (Inverell NSW) Monday 29 December 1947 Page 1: Plane Hits 11,000 Volt Lines, Campers Escape: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263426279
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17a.htm
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus1.html
6. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/10756:vh-auf-1
7. https://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa2/austciva2.html
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Albatross_(air_station)#History
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellharbour_Airport#Post_War
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowra
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoalhaven_River

c/no. DHA.125 (Gipsy Major #86876): Taken on charge as A17-128 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 11.11.40 (after repairs following damage to airscrew and spinner at Mascot, Sydney, NSW when struck by Aeronca 65C VH-ACY on 22.10.40). To 4 EFTS RAAF Mascot, Sydney, NSW 16.11.40. Grounded 25.2.41 due to slack fabric; repaired and returned to service. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Victoria 20.4.42. To Victorian & Interstate Airways, Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria 22.2.43 for overhaul. Upon completion, to 1 Aircraft Depot 31.5.43. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Victoria 14.6.43 for shipment to 7 EFTS RAAF Western Junction, Launceston, Tasmania 7.9.43. Notable incident on 19.11.44, 20 miles South-East of Western Junction, Tasmania when aircraft flew through private telephone wires crossing South Esk River in direct disobedience of orders and returned to Western Junction aerodrome. Withdrawn to Care & Maintenance Unit, RAAF Western Junction, Launceston, Tasmania 1.6.45 for storage pending disposal; put up for sale 6.12.45.

Struck off charge when sold 31.5.46 for £65 to A C Dunn; issued to him 27.5.46. Registered as VH-AUF (C of R 1041) 22.8.46 to Wollongong & South Coast Aviation Services, Wollongong, NSW.

Written off when Struck HT cables and crashed into the Shoalhaven River, Grays Beach, Nowra, NSW 28.12.47 as per the above (pilot Ernest Reid rescued). Registration VH-AUF cancelled 29.12.47

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Apr-2025 21:41	Dr. John Smith	Added