Date:	Saturday 10 August 1963
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Frederick W Burke, t/a Agricultural Aviation
Registration:	VH-FBT
MSN:	DHA.907
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Gap Road, North of Wagga Wagga, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Wagga Wagga Airport, Forest Hill, NSW (YGA/YSWG)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-FBT, Frederick W Burke, t/a Agricultural Aviation, Wagga Wagga, NSW: Written off (damaged beyond economic repair) when crashed at Gap Road, North of Wagga Wagga, NSW 10.8.63.
Aircraft collided with an overhead HT power line while imvolved in agricultural (crop spraying/top dressing) operations. According to the summary from the DCA Report into the accident:

"The pilot continued to descend for the commencement of a spraying run whilst looking for a known obstructing power transmission line and collided with it before he saw it".

Registration VH-FBT cancelled 29.8.63 asc "withdrawn from use". Remains rescued from crash site in 1992 by David Clarke, Rosanna, Victoria.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
3. Photo of accident, Wagga Wagga 10.8.63: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/17734:vh-fbt-1
4. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austcl/VH-FBT.html
5. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus9.html
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagga_Wagga_Airport#Post_war_expansion

c/no. DHA.907: Built to UK Government order for South African Air Force/Rhodesian Air Training Group but no serials issued and not shipped following Japan’s entry into war on 7.12.41; stored in Sydney area from December 1941. Reallocated in May 1942 to USAAF 5th Air Force; reportedly operated with De Havilland Australia c/no. as serial.

ex USAAF "907" (May 1942 to August 1945). (Gipsy Major #790). Transferred to RAAF and taken on charge by RAAF as A17-760 at 5 Communications Unit, RAAF Garbutt, Queensland 26.8.45 for disposal.

Struck off charge when sold 17.12.45 for £350 to B. Brown, Townsville, Queensland. Registered as VH-FBT (C of R 3067) 23.4.58 to Royal Aero Club of NSW, Bankstown,Sydney, NSW. Registered 23.4.58 to Frederick W Burke,
t/a Agricultural Aviation, Wagga Wagga, NSW.

Written off (damaged beyond economic repair) when crashed at Wagga Wagga, NSW 10.8.63. Registrsation VH-FBT cancelled 29.8.63. Remains rescued from crash site in 1992) by David Clarke, Rosanna, Victoria.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-May-2025 18:32	Dr. John Smith	Added