Date:	Tuesday 22 January 1957
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Airspread Australia Ltd
Registration:	VH-ASC
MSN:	DHA.134
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Buchan, East Gippsland, Victoria -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Buchan, East Gippsland, Victoria
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-ASC, Airspread Australia Ltd: Written off (destroyed) 22.1.57 when crashed during agricultural operations (crop dusting/top dressing) near Buchan, Victoria. According to the summary of the DCA Report into the incident (See link #10):

"The aircraft crashed onto a hillside when manoeuvring in a narrow valley. The aircraft was being operated under circumstances which did not provide an adequate margin of safety".

As reported at the time in a contemporary local newspaper ("Snowy River Mail" (Orbost, Vic.) Wednesday 23 January 1957 Page 2

"TIGER MOTH PLANE DESTROYED AT BUCHAN
A Tiger Moth aircraft engaged in aerial top dressing near Buchan, crashed and was completely destroyed by fire yesterday. The pilot of the aircraft, 36-year old Douglas McCarw, of Enfield (N.S.W.,) said later that the aircraft had got caught in a downdraft of wind near the side of a hill.

He jumped clear when the plane was close to the ground, and miraculously escaped with only minor injuries. The plane was top dressing the property of a Buchan farmer, Mr Cameron, when it got out of control, crashed into the ground and burst into flames.

An inquiry into the circumstances of the accident, is being conducted by the Dept. of Civil Aviation."

Registration VH-ASC cancelled 25.3.57

NOTE: The above incident refers to Tiger Moth VH-ASC "the second". The first Tiger Moth to wear the registration VH-ASC was c/no.DHA.441 (ex-RAAF A17-397) which was involved in an earlier incident at Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria on 10.5.47 (see separate ASN entry).

To confuse matters (and sources) even further, the registration VH-ASC was allocated a third time to a DH.82A Tiger Moth, on 2.4.57 as a replacement to VH-ASC 'the second'. This time, VH-ASC 'the third' was c/no.DHA.428 (ex-A17-387 and VH-BBF). VH-ASC 'the third' was still flying in 2024, although it was re-registered as VH-MJW on 15.6.2004.

Buchan is a town in the east Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The town is situated adjacent to the Buchan River, in the Shire of East Gippsland, upstream from the river's junction with the Snowy River

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. Snowy River Mail (Orbost, Vic.) Wednesday 23 January 1957 Page 2 TIGER MOTH PLANE DESTROYED AT BUCHAN: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/283100003
3. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17a.htm
4. As VH-ASC 'the second' 1956-1957: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/10566:vh-asc
5. As VH-RVI, 1954-1956: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/31772:vh-rvi-1
6. As VH-BOF 1950-1954: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/12362:vh-bof-1
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus1.html
8. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa2/VH-ASC.html
9. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-RVI%281%29.html
10. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchan,_Victoria

c/no. DHA.134: Taken on charge as A17-137 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NDW 21.10.40. To 8 EFTS RAAF Narrandera, NSW 25.11.40. Crashed into tree 2 miles North of Matong, NSW 25.3.41 (LAC M B Mahoney injured); to Clyde Lidcombe 28.4.41 for repairs. Upon completion, to 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 16.2.42 and issued to 2 EFTS RAF Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland 9.3.42. To 5 EFTS RAAF Narromine, NSW 13.4.42. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW for overhaul 28.1.44; DHA No T215. Upon completion, to 2 Aircraft Park 9.4.44. Thence to 5 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 25.4.44. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Victoria 1.7.44. To 6 SFTS RAAF Mallala, South Australia 28.9.44; withdrawn from service to reserve store 15.10.45. To Care & Maintenance Unit RAAF Mallala, SA 31.12.45 for long term storage pending disposal; put up for sale 7.6.46.

Sold 30.9.46 for £100 to Royal Aero Club of South Australia; issued to them 3.12.46. Registered as VH-BOF (C of R 1727) 18.2.50 to Royal Victorian Aero Club, Moorabbin, Victoria. Re-registered VH-RVI 29.10.54 to same owner. Re-registered 28.9.56 to Airspread Australia, Moorabbin. Victoria. Re-registered VH-ASC 24.10.56 to same owner.

Written off when crashed and destroyed by fire when crop-dusting near Buchan, Victoria 22.1.57 as per the above; registration VH-ASC cancelled 25.3.57.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
09-Apr-2025 16:22	Dr. John Smith	Added
16-Apr-2025 09:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]