Date:	Sunday 31 August 1958
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Northern Rivers Aero Club
Registration:	VH-SNC
MSN:	DHA.813/T023
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Summerland Way, 4 miles North of Casino, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Lismore Airport, Lismore, NSW (LSY/YLIS)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-SNC, Northern Rivers Aero Club, Lismore, NSW: Written off (destroyed) when crashed near Summerland Way, 4 miles North of Casino, NSW 31.8.58. During aerobatics the aircraft entered an inadvertent spin. The pilot was apparently unable to take effective recovery action before the aircraft struck the ground. The incident ws reported in detail in the DCA Aviation Safety Digest (Issue 27, September 1961):

"Don't Be A Crowd Pleaser
Anybody -who has attended any contest of human skill will agree, that irrespective of any additional dangers that may be involved, some of the participants go to extremes to provide spectacular excitement for the onlooker and thus become a subject for "hero worship." It is not difficult to recall names of many of these famous crowd pleasers who have ultimately suffered serious injury. It is natural that we all like to be praised at some time for our ability to do something better than the other fellow, but in aviation this urge to excel can have fatal results if any unorthodox manoeuvre is performed at an unsafe height.

Over the years accidents of this nature have occurred, the most common type being the attempts to show flying ability by flying low over houses occupied by friends or relations. All too many of these exhibitions have resulted in a tragic loss of life.

Unfortunately spectators on the ground cannot always gain a full appreciation of spectacular aerobatics performed in light aircraft above 3,000 feet and this fact causes pilots to succumb to the temptation to perform their aerobatics at unsafe heights. The spectators have certainly received their share of excitement from this source but not without the grim reaper taking his share. We also have on record, exhibitions of 'crazy flying' at an extremely low height which have resulted in disaster.

The pilot concerned in a recent accident was assessed as above average in his flying capabilities but he had a reputation as a crowd pleaser. Following a period of aerobatics over an aerodrome in a DH82 aircraft, he returned for landing and in making a long high approach, descended the aircraft in a nose high altitude with the airspeed reduced to near the stall. At about 400 feet, finding that he was overshooting, he commenced a side-slip without increasing speed and almost immediately the aircraft stalled and entered a spin.

There was insufficient height for recovery to be completed and when the port mainplanes struck a tree the aircraft plunged to the ground. Fortunately the pilot escaped with minor injuries but the aircraft was extensively damaged.

There was no valid reason for the pilot to attempt a sideslip at such a low speed whilst flying so near to the ground, and it can only be assumed that he was trying to impress spectators at the aerodrome. If the aircraft had been flown in a similar manner at a safe height no accident would have resulted, but the combination of low speed and low height reduced the safety margin to zero, and very little reduction in airspeed coupled with a turning moment was required to induce a stall and spin at a height which made an accident inevitable.

Remember when you have an audience on the ground, you may experience a temptation to fly the aircraft in an unusual manner to attract attention. Don't yield to this temptation unless your proposed manoeuvre can be performed in accordance with common sense and the rules of the air. Above all retain adequate margins of safety."

Aircraft not repaired, and registration VH-SNC cancelled 9.9.58. Ex-DX756, A17-663.

According to some sources (see links #1 & #3) a Tiger Moth was registered as VH-OVL on 12.5.87 to G Crampton, Arncliffe, NSW, which is claimed to have former identity of VH-SNC (and thus c/no. DHA.813). However, the connection with the original VH-SNC is unproven, as it was also claimed that the airframe used in the rebuild of VH-OVL c/no. 871 in 1985-87. How much of the original VH-SNC exists in VH-OVL is debatable; see also VH-SNO (under c/no. 813) which is painted in RAAF Markings as A17-663.

Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way. It is located 726 km (451 miles) north of Sydney and 228 km (142 miles) south of Brisbane.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. DCA Aviation Safety Digest (Issue 27, December 1961): https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/5774724/asd_27_sep_61.pdf
3. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/32768:vh-snc-1
4. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/28926:vh-ovl-1
5. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-SNC.html
6. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-OVL.html
7. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus8.html
9. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino,_New_South_Wales
.

c/no. DHA.813: Built to UK Government order in 1942 for SAAF/RATG as DX756 but not delivered & stored. To RAAF and taken on charge as A17-663 on 24.11.43. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW for assembly & modifications; De Havilland Australia assembly number not known ("T023" quoted but see also A17-666). To 2 Aircraft Park and to 1 EFTS RAAF Parafield, Adelaide, SA 16.2.44. To RAAF Tamworth, NSW 29.5.44; placed into storage 7.10.44. Transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 12.12.44. To 2 Aircraft Depot RAAF Richmond 11.4.47, NSW and placed into long-term storage. To De Havilland Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 17.10.51 for overhaul. Upon completion, returned to 2 Aircraft Depot RAAF Richmond, NSW 18.3.52. To 1 BFTS RAAF Uranquinty, NSW 27.3.52. To 1 Aircraft Depot Detachment B, RAAF Tocumwal, NSW 3.5.56 for storage pending disposal. Put up for sale 22.5.57.

Struck off charge when sold at an unknown date in 1957-58 (probably early 1958), and issued to purchaser 17.3.58. Registered VH-SNC (C of R 3301) 26.8.58 to Northern Rivers Aero Club, Lismore, NSW.

Written off (destroyed) when crashed near Summerland Way, 4 miles North of Casino, NSW 31.8.58 as per the above. Registration VH-SNC cancelled 9.9.58.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-May-2025 12:18	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-May-2025 06:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
01-Jun-2025 15:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]