Date:	Wednesday 6 July 1949
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Commonwealth of Australia, Dept of Civil Aviation
Registration:	VH-AZN
MSN:	DHA.802
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Essendon Revervoir, near Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria -   Australia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Essendon Airfield, Melbourne, Victoria (MEB/YMEN)
Destination airport:	Essendon Airfield, Melbourne, Victoria (MEB/YMEN)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-AZN, Commonwealth of Australia, Dept of Civil Aviation, Melbourne, Victoria: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed after take-off into Essendon Reservoir, Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria (adjacent to Essendon Airport) 6.7.49. The pilot - sole person on board - survived, and swam away to safety as the aircraft sank into 15 feet of water. The incident was reported at the time in several contemporary local newspapers (including the Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) Thursday 7 July 1949 Page 1 - see link #2):

"Plane Falls In Reservoir
Melbourne, Wedenesday
When a Tiger Moth 'plane, crashed Inito the reservoir at Essendon airport on Wednesday and sank into 15ft. of water, the pilot (Dr. John Lane, of Doncaster Rood, North Balwyn) swam 30 yards to safely.

Dr. Lane, who is medical superintendent of the Civil Aviation Department, was taking off when a gust of wind caught the aircraft and swung it an an angle of 35 degrees to starboard. It hit the embankment surrounding the reservoir, broke through the fence, and slid into tho water.

As the plane sank Dr. Lane undid his harness and climbed from the cockpit".

Registration VH-AZN cancelled 6.7.49. Registration VH-CAI allocated in October 1949, but not taken up as aircraft destroyed. Ex-DX745, A17-652, VH-CAI (ntu).

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) Thursday 7 July 1949 Page 1): Plane Falls In Reservoir: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48606119
3. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Thursday 7 July 1949 Page 1 Light Plane Crashes Into 'drome Reservoir: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36674920
4. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/11193:vh-azn-1
5. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/13219:vh-cai-1
6. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa2/VH-AZN.html
7. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus8.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essendon_Airport

c/no. DHA.802: Built to UK Government order in 1942 for SAAF (South African Air Force)/RATG (Rhoesian Air Training Group) as DX745 but not delivered & stored by De Havilland Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Transferred to the RAAF and taken on charge as A17-652 24.11.43. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW for assembly & modifications. To 2 Aircraft Park, RAAF Richmond, NSW 5.4.44. To 5 Aircraft Depot RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 25.4.44 for storage. To 21 Squadron RAAF, Darwin, NT 25.9.44. Damaged on landing at RAAF Darwin, NT 19.4.45. To 12 ARD (Aircraft Repair Depot) RAAF Darwin, NT 25.4.45 for repairs. To 10 EFTS RAAF Temora, NSW 14.1.46 for storage. Transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 12.3.46 for long-term storage pending disposal. Put up for sale 7.6.46.

Sold 2.9.46 for £400 to Dept of Civil Aviation, Melbourne; issued to them 9.9.46. Registered as VH-AZN 18.12.47 to Commonwealth of Australia, Dept of Civil Aviation, Melbourne, Victoria.

Crashed after take-off into Essendon Reservoir, near Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria 6.7.49 as per the above. Pilot (sole person on board) survived and swam to safely. Registration VH-AZN cancelled 6.7.49. Registration VH-CAI allocated in October 1949, but not taken up as aircraft destroyed.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-May-2025 11:40	Dr. John Smith	Added