Date:	Saturday 29 January 1949
Time:	16:10 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Mrs Florence M Morris, t/a Morris Air Service
Registration:	VH-BGZ
MSN:	DHA.834
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Macquarie Fields, 7 miles South West of Liverpool, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Bankstown Airport, Sydney, NSW (BWU/YSBK)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-BGZ, Mrs Florence M Morris, t/a Morris Air Service, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 29.1.49 when crashed at Macquarie Fields near Liverpool, NSW following engine failure. The pilot - John Albert Blankley, aged 20 - the sole person on board, survived, albeit with substantial injuries ("He was found semi-conscious slumped over the smashed instruments, and is in hospital with fractured ribs and arm and other injuries and also severe shock"). The incident was reported at the time in several contemporary local newspapers (including The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW) Sunday 30 Jan 1949 Page 12 - see link #2):

"Tiger Moth plane crashes: pilot injured
A Tiger Moth plane yesterday nose-dived into a paddock at Macquarie Fields, 28 miles from Sydney. The pilot, John Blankley, 20, was later admitted to the Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, with fractured ribs and shock. Blankley is an Army sapper attached to the Engineers Depot, Marrickville. He hired the plane about 3.45p.m. yesterday from Morris' Air Service, Bankstown.

Eye-witnesses said the plane came over Macquarie Fields at 40 feet about 4.10 p.m. The engine of the plane appeared to be misfiring, and the pilot attempted to put the plane down in the paddock. The plane crashed i about 10 yards from a fence and 20 yards from a small dam. The crash crumpled the propeller and wings and forced back the landing gear. Two men who saw the crash pulled Blankley clear of the wreckage.

Circled 3 Times
One of them, Mr. W. Harris, said: "The plane circled the paddock three times. "Just as it seemed to be gaining height it turned and dived into the ground. The pilot had apparently been looking for the direction of the wind before he landed. He was conscious when we got him out, and asked: 'Why didn't you give me the wind direction'?"

Donald Mayne, 16, said the plane narrowly missed electric wires bordering the paddock. Owner of the plane, Mr. Howard K. Morris, estimated the damage at £300. He said the plane was not covered by insurance, and he could salvage "very little" of it".

Note that some sources give the crash date as 27 or 28.1.1949, and the crash location as "Liverpool, NSW" However, the contemporary newspaper report above confirms that the crash was on the afternoon of Saturday 29.1.1949 and at Macquarie Fields, which is 6 to 7 miles (approx.12 km) south west of LIverpool, NSW.

Not repaired. Sold on and re-registered 5.4.50 to Kingsford Smith Aviation Service Pty Ltd, Mascot probably for compoenents recovery. Registration VH-BGZ cancelled 6.8.51 as "withdrawn from use".

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW) Sunday 30 Jan 1949 Page 12 Tiger Moth plane crashes: pilot injured: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/248264846
3. The Sun (Sydney, NSW) Saturday 29 January 1949 Page 1 Report of plane crash: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/230238700/24620497
4. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Monday 31 January 1949 Page 1 PLANE CRASHES NEAR SYDNEY: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/43802325
5. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/11783:vh-bgz-1
6. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BGZ.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/Liverpool,_New_South_Wales
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macquarie_Fields,_New_South_Wales
.

c/no. DHA.834: Built to UK Government order in 1942 for SAAF/RATG (South Africa Air Force/Rhodesian Air Training Group) as DX791 but not delivered & stored unassembled at Bankstown, Sydney. Transferred to the RAAF and taken on charge as A17-702 on 24.11.43. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot, Sydney, NSW for assembly & modifications. To 2 Aircraft Park, RAAF Richmond, NSW 8.6.44. To 5 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 15.6.44. To 10 EFTS RAAF Temora, NSW 7.8.44. To 6 SFTS RAAF Mallala 20.7.45; withdrawn from service to reserve 15.10.45. Transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 31.12.45. To 1 FTS RAAF Point Cook, Victoria, 11.2.46 for long-term storage pending disposal; put up for sale 11.7.47.

Struck off charge when sold 12.1.48 for £100 to Howard K Morris, Rose Bay, NSW; issued to him 27.1.48. Registered as VH-BGZ (C of R 1515) 17.3.48 to Howard K Morris, t/a Morris Air Service, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Registered 1.5.48 to Mrs Florence M Morris, t/a Morris Air Service, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed at Macquarie Fields, 7 miles South West of Liverpool, NSW following engine failure 29.1.49; not repaired.

Re-registered 5.4.50 when sold to Kingsford Smith Aviation Service Pty Ltd, Mascot, Sydney, NSW. Registration VH-BGZ cancelled 6.8.51.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
09-May-2025 18:52	Dr. John Smith	Added
09-May-2025 18:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Category, ]
09-May-2025 19:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Source, ]