Date:	Sunday 10 January 1954
Time:	16:45 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Royal Aero Club of New South Wales
Registration:	VH-AAY
MSN:	DHA.283
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Wingello, Wingecarribee Shire, Southern Highlands, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Goulburn Airport, Goulburn, NSW (GUL/YGLB)
Destination airport:	Mascot Airport, Sydney, NSW (SYD/YSSY)

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-AAY, Royal Aero Club of New South Wales: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 10.1.54 when crashed into a tree while flying in fog at Wingello, Wingecarribee Shire, Southern Highlands, NSW. The most complete account of the incident was in the ATSB Aviation Safety Digest No.06 dated February 1956 (see link #4):

"DH.82 Hits Tree Whilst Flying In Cloud
Two members of an aero club ferried a DH.82 from Sydney to Goulburn, New South Wales, so that week-end flying training could be conducted at the Goulburn aerodrome. Late on the Sunday afternoon, they set out to return over the 90 odd miles to their base aerodrome in Sydney.

Before departing the pilot in command obtained a weather forecast for the route which indicated that the cloud base would be approximately 1,500 feet above the general level of the terrain with thunderstorms in the area and he was informed that, at the time of his enquiry, the cloudbase at Banks town was 800 feet. After discussing the situation with the senior operations officer at Sydney the pilot decided to "give it a go" and lodged the appropriate flight details.

The aircraft departed Goulourn at 1615 hours and levelled out at 500 feet following the main southern railway line to Sydney. This cruising level was only 200 feet below the cloud base, and some 25 minutes after departure some lower patches of cloud appeared on the track and the aircraft descended to pass under them. The pilot then observed even lower cloud moving in from the north and he decided to return to Goulburn. Just as he completed a turn to the left onto the reciprocal track the aircraft entered cloud and the pilot endeavoured to hold the aircraft on an even keel whilst descending slowly to regain visual reference.

Before this could be obtained the port wing struck a tree and the aircraft swung violently to the right, struck another tree and crashed into a small clearing. The accident occurred less than a mile from the town of Wingello which is on the railway line and 2,200 feet above sea level.

The aircraft was substantially damaged but the two occupants escaped with only minor injuries. The flying experiences of both the occupants were similar, amounting to some 110 hours, most of which had been obtained on DH.82. They both held valid private licences. There was no evidence of any defect or malfunctioning in the aircraft which might have contributed to the accident.

In view of the weather forecast provided to the pilot and the nature of the terrain to be traversed, there was quite a probability at the outset that the flight would not get through and, indeed, this was apparently appreciated by the pilot. However, it is considered that the pilot should nothave continued the flight beyond the point at which he noticed lower cloud appearing whilst cruising just below the base at 500 feet. It would have been sensible to have abandoned the flight and returned to Goulburn at this point but he persisted in trying to get through until he could not even make a turn without entering cloud. Once the aircraft had entered cloud in these circumstances then the accident which followed had become a distinct probability in view of the limited experience of the pilot.

From the evidence it was concluded that:
(a) The pilot complied with the Department's requirements for pre-flight briefing and notification and, having regard to the information provided to the pilot, the flight was properly commenced.

(b) The cause of the accident was an error of judgment by the pilot in attempting ·to continue the flight in such conditions of weather that visual flight could not be maintained.

(c) The pilot's error of judgment led him into flight conditions which demanded a skill beyond the limits of his experience and ability.

(d) The pilot probably flew the aircraft at a lower height than 500 feet above terrain without unavoidable cause contrary to the provisions of Air Navigation Regulation 133(2) (b)".

As recorded at the time in a contemporary local newspaper (Goulburn Evening Post (Goulburn, NSW) Monday 11 January 1954 Page 3):

"PLANE CRASHES AT WINGELLO
Two men escaped with lacerations and bruises when an aero club plane crashed at Wingello late yesterday. About 4.45 p.m. the plane, a Tiger Moth owned by Bankstown Royal Aero Club and piloted by Gordon Kinitsky Power (20), Parkland Avenue, Lane Cove, and carrying a passenger, Norman Albert Field, Myahgah Avenue, Mosman, crashed into the top of a tall tree. The plane was extensively damaged".

Aircraft not repaired and registration VH-AAY cancelled 28.1.54.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. Goulburn Evening Post (Goulburn, NSW) Monday 11 January 1954 Page 3): PLANE CRASHES AT WINGELLO: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103694131/10067506
3. Lithgow Mercury (Lithgow, NSW) Monday 11 January 1954 Page 2 TWO FLIERS SURVIVE CRASH: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220815033
4. ATSB Aviation Safety Digest No.06, February 1956 p.24: https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/5774702/asd_05_feb_56.pdf
5. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/VH-AAY(2).html
6. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/8944:vh-aay-2
7. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17a.htm
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus2.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Airport
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingello,_New_South_Wales

c/no. DHA.283: Taken on charge as A17-264 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 3.3.41. To 2 EFTS RAAF Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland 7.4.41. To 5 EFTS RAAF Narromine, NSW 13.4.42. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW 31.5.43 for overhaul. Upon completion, delivered to 2 Aircraft Park 2.8.43. To 10 EFTS RAAF Temora 10.8.43. Withdrawn from service to storage reserve 20.8.45 at RAAF Temora. Transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 12.3.46 at RAAF Temora for long-term storage pending disposal. Put up for sale 7.6.46.

Struck off charge when sold 6.9.46 for £100 to Association of Australian Aero Clubs, Sydney, NSW; issued to them 21.9.46. Registered as VH-AAY (C of R 2205) 9.7.53 to Royal Aero Club of New South Wales, Mascot, Sydney, NSW.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed into a tree in fog Wingello, NSW 10.1.54 as per the above. Registration VH-AAY cancelled 28.1.54.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Apr-2025 15:39	Dr. John Smith	Added
10-May-2025 05:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]