Date:	Thursday 27 August 1959
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Cyril Flood t/a Aero Service (Pty) Ltd, Maylands
Registration:	VH-BLW
MSN:	DHA.1047
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Bruce Rock, Shire of Bruce Rock, WA -   Australia
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Bruce Rock, Shire of Bruce Rock, WA
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-BLW, Cyril Flood t/a Aero Service (Pty) Ltd, Maylands, Perth, WA: Written off (destroyed) when crashed into trees and overturned at Bruce Rock, WA 27.8.59. Aircraft was engaged in agricultural (crop spraying/top dressing) operations at the time. As noted by one source (see link #4):

"The pilot was one Darcy Devenish, a somewhat accident-prone bloke due to his cavalier attitude towards the rules of flying. Evidently the aircraft struck the ground during a low turn while spraying wild turnips and crashed into trees. Devenish was not wearing his crash helmet but nevertheless walked away from the wreck uninjured".

According to the summary from the DCA Report into the incident:

"While executing a steep turn above trees between spray runs, the pilot lost control and the aircraft slipped into the ground."

Registration VH-BLW cancelled 27.8.59. The wreckage was broken up on site and carted away on the back of a truck (see photo in link #4) so obiously not repairable!

Bruce Rock is a town in the eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately 243 kilometres (151 miles) east of Perth and 48 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of Merredin. It is the main town in the Shire of Bruce Rock.

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/12184:vh-blw-1
4. Photo of accident: https://edcoatesaircraftphotos.com/ac1/austb/VH-BLW.html
5. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus10.html
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Rock,_Western_Australia

c/no. DHA.1047: Taken on charge as A17-612 at 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 18.8.42. To 1 AOS, RAAF Station Cootamundra, NSW 31.8.42. To 9 EFTS RAAF Cunderdin, WA 19.10.42; withdrawn from service to storage 8.1.45; transferred to 86 OBU Cunderdin 11.6.45. To Care & Maintenance Unit 2.4.46 for long-term storage pending disposal; put up for sale 7.6.46.

Struck off charge when sold 2.12.46 for £35 to MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co, Maylands, Perth, WA; issued to them 13.12.46. Registered as VH-BLW (C of R 1579) 18.10.48 to Willaim D S French, Carnarvon, WA. Re-registered 19.1.51 to John F Schell, Goomalling, WA. Re-registered 31.3.52 to John A Forrest, Aldersyde, WA (based Maylands, Perth). Re-registered 31.1.58 to Cyril Flood t/a Aero Service (Pty) Ltd, Maylands, Perth WA.

Written off (destroyed) when crashed into trees at Bruce Rock, WA 27.8.59. Registration VH-BLW cancelled 27.8.59

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-May-2025 16:54	Dr. John Smith	Added
21-May-2025 06:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
01-Jun-2025 16:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]