Date:	Saturday 19 April 1958
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Royal Newcastle Aero Club
Registration:	VH-BNR
MSN:	DHA.1086
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Dulvay Property, Booroolong Station, Armidale, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Armidale Airport, Armidale, NSW (ARM/YARM)
Destination airport:	Armidale Airport, Armidale, NSW (ARM/YARM)

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-BNR, Royal Newcastle Aero Club, Broadmeadow, NSW: Written off (Damaged beyond repair) when struck tree in a forced landing (caused by engine failure) while low flying at Booralong Station, Armidale, NSW 19.4.58. According to the summary from the DCA Report into the incident

"The aircraft collided with a tree whilst engaged on an unauthorised low-level message dropping flight".

The incident was also reported in a contemporary local newspaper (The Canberra Times (Canberra, ACT) Monday 21 April 1958 Page 10):

Pilot Seriously Injured When Plane Crashes
SYDNEY, Sunday.
A young pilot, who was seriously injured when his light aircraft crashed into the front garden of a house at Armidale yesterday, was flown to a Sydney hospital for treatment a few hours later.

The pilot, Ross Edward Sutton, 21, of Donnelly Street, Armidale, is believed to be suffering from a fractured spine and other injuries. Sutton was on a routine flight circling the Dulvay property at Booroolong, when the plane's engine cut out."

Registration VH-BNR cancelled 28.9.58.

Booroolong Station is referenced as a historical pastoral run in the New England district of Armidale, associated with the Marsh family archives and part of a larger 250,000-acre landholding that included Maryland Station and Salisbury Court

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. The Canberra Times (Canberra, ACT) Monday 21 April 1958, Page 10: Pilot Seriously Injured When Plane Crashes: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91248263
3. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Downloads/DCA%20accident%20reports%201956%20to%201968%20v2.pdf
4. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/12324:vh-bnr-1
5. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BNR.html
6. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus10.html
8. https://australiansuburbs.au/suburb/boorolong-2350
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armidale_Airport

c/no. DHA.1086: Taken on charge as A17-755. RAAF Service unknown/not recorded. Struck off charge when sold to Australian Association of Aero Clubs 3.4.47. Registered as VH-BNR 30.3.50. Re-registered (by April 1952) to Newcastle Aero Club, Broadmeadow, NSW. Renamed Royal Newcastle Aero Club in February 1953.

Written off (Damaged beyond repair) when struck tree while low flying at Booralong Station, Armidale, NSW 19.4.58. Registration VH-BNR cancelled 28.9.58.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-May-2025 16:52	Dr. John Smith	Added
22-May-2025 18:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]