Date:	Saturday 16 January 1960
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Warrnambool Aero Club
Registration:	VH-RVF
MSN:	DHA.427
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Tarrington, 6 miles South East of Hamilton, Victoria -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Bacchus Marsh Airfield, Parwan, Victoria (YBSS)
Destination airport:	Warrnambool, South West Coast, Victoria

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-RVF, Royal Victorian Aero Club: Written off (destroyed) when crashed and destroyed by fire at Tarrington, 6 miles South East of Hamilton, Victoria 16.1.60; both persons on board killed.

According to the summary from the DCA report into the incident:

"While engaged in unauthorised low flying, the pilot apparently misjudged the aircrafts position during a dive towards rising terrain, and it struck the ground and was burnt out".

A contemporary local newspaper (The Canberra Times (Canberra, ACT) Monday 18 January 1960 Page 3) goes into further details, and names the two fatalities:

"Two Killed When Club Plane Crashes
MELBOURNE, Sunday -
A pilot and his passenger were killed when their Tiger Moth aircraft crashed and burst into flames in a paddock at Tarrington, near Hamilton, in the Western District, yesterday.

The victims were the pilot, Philip Brian Patterson, 32, married, of Park Street, Hamilton, and his passenger, Anthony Justin Walker Connell, 33, single, of Melville Forest. The plane was owned by the Warrnambool Aero Club and valued at £1,500.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the plane skim in low over rooftops, and then heard a loud explosion as it hit the ground. Would-be rescuers were forced back by the fierce heat from the burning aircraft."

Registration VH-RVF cancelled (same day) 16.1.60 as "destroyed". The pilot was interred at Hamilton Cemetery,
Hamilton, Southern Grampians Shire, Victoria, Australia with the date on the grave marker as "19 January 1960" (three days after the accident) which refers to the date of funeral and internment.

Tarrington is a village in the Southern Grampians Shire in South-west Victoria, Australia six miles south east of Hamilton.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. The Canberra Times (Canberra, ACT) Monday 18 January 1960 Page 3) Two Killed When Club Plane Crashes: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103075282
3. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
4. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/31762:vh-rvf-1
5. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-RVF%281%29.html
6. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17b.htm
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus4.html
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/211618256/phillip_brian-patterson
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrington,_Victoria
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacchus_Marsh_Airfield
..

c/no. DHA.427: Taken on charge as A17-386 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 15.6.41. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Victoria 25.7.41. To 1 EFTS RAAF Parafield, Adelaide, SA 27.3.42. To Victorian & Interstate Airways, Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria 23.8.43 for overhaul. Upon completion, returned to 1 EFTS RAAF Parafield 13.2.44. To RAAF Tamworth, NSW 29.5.44; withdrawn from service to storage reserve 7.10.44. Transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit, RAAF Tamworth, NSW 12.12.44. To 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 16.4.47. To De Havilland Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 5.5.49 for overhaul. Upon completion to 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 13.9.49. To 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton 30.3.51. To 3 Aircraft Depot RAAF Amberley, Queensland 5.12.51. To 1 ITS, RAAF Archerfield 10.1.52; to 1 IFTS 26.5.52. To 1 Aircraft Depot Detachment B, RAAF Tocumwal 14.7.53-24.7.53 (departure delayed by fog for 10 days). Put up for sale 25.11.53.

Struck off charge when sold 15.4.54 to Royal Victorian Aero Club, Melbourne; issued to them 9.7.54. Registered as VH-RVF (C of R 2312) 21.5.54 to Royal Victorian Aero Club, Moorabbin, Melbourne, Victoria. It was deregistered when it overturned whilst taxiing at Moorabbin in February 1957. It was rebuilt with a canopy in 1957-58. Re-registered in 1958-59 to Warrnambool Aero Club, Warrnambool, Victoria.

Written off (destroyed) when crashed and destroyed by fire at Warrnambool, Victoria 16.1.60; both persons on board killed. Registration VH-RVF cancelled 16.1.60 as "destroyed".

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-May-2025 06:02	Dr. John Smith	Added
02-May-2025 05:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
18-May-2025 06:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative, ]
01-Jun-2025 16:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]