Date:	Sunday 11 September 1960
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Alice Springs Gliding Club
Registration:	VH-BOW
MSN:	DHA.830/T064
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Alice Springs Airport, Alice Springs, NT -   Australia
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Banner and glider towing
Departure airport:	Alice Springs Airport, Alice Springs, NT (ASP/YBAS)
Destination airport:	Alice Springs Airport, Alice Springs, NT (ASP/YBAS)

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-BOW, B Persson, I Wiese, G C & P Wood, t/a Alice Springs Gliding Club, Alice Springs, NT. Written off (destroyed) when crashed whilst glider towing near Alice Springs, NT 11.9.60; pilot Wally Wood (Wallace Albert Wood, aged 29) killed. According to the summary from the DCA Report into the incident:

"The pilot of the powered aircraft was providing an aero-tow for a glider flown by a relatively inexperienced glider pilot who was under the supervision of an instructor. At about 200 feet after take-off, the glider climbed above the towing aircraft and the pilot was apparently unable to release the tow cable under load. The aircraft was forced into a dive, the tow rope broke, but the aircraft crashed in a vertical attitude and was burnt out".

Registration VH-BOW cancelled 11.9.60. Ex-DX707, A17-698.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
3. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/12409:vh-bow-1
4. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BOW.html
5. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
6. https://alicespringsglidingclub.com.au/
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus8.html
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184433607/wallace-albert-wood
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Springs_Airport
.

Built to UK Government order in 1942 for SAAF/RATG (South African Air Force/Rhodesian Air Training Group) as DX787 but not delivered & stored disassembled at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Transferred to RAAF and taken on charge as A17-698 on 24.11.43. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW for assembly & modifications (DHA No. T064). To 2 Aircraft Park 17.7.44. To 5 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 23.7.44. To 8 EFTS RAAF Narrandera, NSW 20.11.44; stored. To 5 SFTS RAAF Uranquinty, NSW 18.12.44. To 2 FTS RAAF Uranquinty, NSW 22.8.46; transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 1.9.47. To RAAF Point Cook 31.3.48; transferred to 1 FTS 13.5.48; to Base Squadron 30.8.50. To 1 BFTS RAAF Uranquinty, NSW 28.2.52. To 1 Aircraft Depot Detachment B RAAF Tocumwal, NSW 10.7.53; put up for sale 11.2.54.

Struck off charge when sold 15.4.54 to Darwin Aero Club, Darwin, NT 15.4.54; issued to them 9.7.54. Registered VH-BOW (C of R 2255) 1.12.54 to Darwin Aero Club Ltd, Darwin, NT. C of N in 1958 to Northern Territory Aero Club Ltd, Darwin, NT. Re-registered 6.6.60 to B Persson, I Wiese, G C & P Wood, t/a Alice Springs Gliding Club, Alice Springs, NT.

Crashed whilst glider towing near Alice Springs, NT 11.9.60 as per the above; pilot Wallace Albert (Wally) Wood killed. Registration VH-BOW cancelled 11.9.60.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
09-May-2025 06:28	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-May-2025 06:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]