Date:	Wednesday 19 November 1958
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	H P Squires, t/a North Queensland Aerial Spray Co
Registration:	VH-BCA
MSN:	DHA.881/T252
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	1 mile from Mareeba, Queensland -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Mareeba Airfield, Mareeba, Queensland (MRB/YMBA)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-BCA, H P Squires, t/a North Queensland Aerial Spray Co, East Brighton, Victoria: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when struck HT wires during crop-spraying operations 1 mile from Mareeba, Queensland, 19.11.58. According to the summary from the DCA Report into the incident:

"The aircraft struck power lines during a spraying run and struck trees".

Registration VH-BCA cancelled 27.10.59 as "withdrawn from use".

Note that this particular Tiger Moth seems to have been "unluckier" than many, being involved in six incidents between 1951 and 1958:

08.04.51: As VH-AKG, Damaged when struck Tiger Moth VH-APH taxying at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW (1st accident)
27.10.53: As VH-AKG, substantially damaged on landing at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 27.10.53 (2nd accident)
16.11.53: As VH-AKG, substantially damaged in forced landing Camden, NSW 16.11.53 (3rd accident)
23.11.55: As VH-PCA, substantially damaged on landing Roto, near Condobolin, NSW (4th accident)
05.04.57: As VH-PCA, substantially damaged in crash following engine failure on take-off 4 miles North East of Walcha, NSW (5th accident)
19.11.58: As VH-BCA Written off (damaged beyond repair) when struck HT wires while crop-spraying 1 mile from Mareeba, Queensland 19.11.58 (6th and final accident)

Mareeba Airfield (IATA: MRG, ICAO: YMBA) is an airfield located 4.3 nautical miles (8.0 km; 4.9 miles) south of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
3. As VH-AKG 1950-1954: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/9847:vh-akg-3
4. As VH-PCA 1954-1958: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/29177:vh-pca-2
5. As VH-BCA 1958: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/11420:vh-bca-2
6. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/VH-AKG.html
7. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-PCA.html
8. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BCA%281%29.html
9. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17b.htm
10. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus8.html
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mareeba_Airfield

c/no. DHA. 881: Taken on charge as A17-464 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 13.4.42. To 1 AOS RAAF Cootamundra 27.4.42. To 5 EFTS RAAF Narromine, NSW 30.5.42. To De Havilland Australia at Mascot 1.6.44 for overhaul (DHA No T252). To 2 Aircraft Park, RAAF Richmond, NSW 23.7.44. To 5 Aircraft Depot RAAF Wagga Wagga, NSW 26.7.44. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Vicxtoria 17.11.44; withdrawn from service to storage reserve 25.7.45. To 37 Squadron RAAF, Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria 20.8.45 (unconfirmed?). To Care & Maintenance Unit RAAF Benalla, Victoria 22.5.46 for storage pending disposal; put up for sale 27.9.46.

Struck off charge when sold 5.12.46 for £100 to Association of Australian Aero Clubs; issued to them 8.1.47. Registrered as VH-AKG (C of R 1743) 27.10.50 to Royal Aero Club of NSW, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Damaged when struck Tiger Moth VH-APH taxying Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 8.4.51; repaired and returned to service. Badly damaged on landing at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 27.10.53; repaired and returned to service. Badly damaged in forced landing Camden, NSW 16.11.53; repaired and returned to service. Re-registered VH-PCA 26.11.54 to Aerial Agriculture Pty Ltd, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW; repaired and returnewd to service. Badly damaged on landing Roto, near Condobolin, NSW 23.11.55; repaired and returned to service. Badly damaged in crash following engine failure on take-off 4 miles North East of Walcha, NSW 5.4.57; repaired and returned to service. Re-registered VH-BCA 3.10.58 to H P Squires, t/a North Queensland Aerial Spray Co, East Brighton, Victoria.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when struck HT wires during crop-spraying operations 1 mile from Mareeba, Queensland 19.11.58. Registration VH-BCA cancelled 27.10.59.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-May-2025 18:28	Dr. John Smith	Added