Date:	Saturday 6 February 1960
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Super Spread Aviation Pty Ltd
Registration:	VH-SSE
MSN:	82774
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Myrtleford, Alpine Shire, Victoria -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Myrtleford, Alpine Shire, Victoria
Destination airport:

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-SSE, Super Spread Aviation Pty Ltd, Moorabbin, Melbourne, Victoria: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when struck overhead HT wires and crashed near Myrtleford, Victoria 6.2.60. According to one source (see link #4): "The aircraft struck power lines from a height of 150ft. The pilot suffered minor injuries but the aircraft was totalled". The aircraft was involved in agricultural (crop spraying/top dressing operations) at the time.

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

"The pilot misjudged the pull-up point to clear high-tension wires bordering the field. The aircraft struck the wires, turned over and crashed inverted".

Ex-R4842 (RAF serial), VH-AFM (not taken up?), VH-AIT. Registration VH-SSE cancelled 6.2.60. Note that the above incident applies to Tiger Moth VH-SSE "the second". The first Tiger Moth to be registered as VH-SSE was c/no.DHA.97, ex-A17-100 and VH-ARN, which crashed at Nigah, Victoria on 15.9.53 (see separate ASN entry)

Myrtleford is a town in northeast Victoria, Australia, 282 km (175 miles) northeast of Melbourne and 47 km (29 miles) southeast of Wangaratta. Myrtleford is part of the Alpine Shire local government area

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.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh82-superspread/dh82superspread.html
4. As VH-SSE 1954-1960: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/33022:vh-sse-2
5. As VH-AIT 1950-1954: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/9682:vh-ait-2
6. As VH-AFM 1946-1950: https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/9350:vh-afm-3
7. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austmz/VH-SSE%281%29.html
8. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/VH-AIT.html
9. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/VH-AFM.html
10. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17d.htm
11. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p827.html
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtleford

c/no. 852774 (Gipsy Major #82649). Built by Morris Motors at Cowley, Oxford. Taken on charge by the RAF as R4842 at 4 MU, RAF Cowley, Oxford and shipped direct to Australia 6.3.40 on the s.s. "Port Halifax". Taken on charge by the RAAF 1.6.40 retaining RAF serial.

To 1 EFTS RAAF Parafield, Adelaide, SA 20.6.40. To 9 EFTS RAAF Cunderdin, WA 23.12.40. For sale from 86 OBU Cunderdin in June 1946.

Struck off charge when sold 23.12.46 to K Vine. Registration reportedly reserved as VH-AFM but Not Taken Up (this seems unlikely since VH-AFM was continuously registered to another Tiger Moth throughout possible period of 1946-1950). Registered VH-AIT 22.6.50 to Airflights Pty Ltd, Maylands. Damaged on landing Cunderdin, WA 19.8.50; repaired and returned to service. Re-registered 19.11.51 to Kingsford Smith Aviation Service Pty Ltd, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Re-registered 12.3.54 to Leslie Fuller, Melbourne. Re-registered VH-SSE 1.4.54 to Christopher E Tadgell & Austin W Miller t/a Super Spread, Bentleigh, Victoria. Re-registered 13.8.56 to Super Spread Pty Ltd, Moorabbin. Melbourne, Victoria. Re-registered 19.8.57 to Super Spread Aviation Pty Ltd, Moorabbin, Melbourne, Victoria. VH-SSE was covered by dayglo orange panels on the cowling and rudder, and the fleet number "06", on the engine cowling.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when struck overhead HT wires and crashed near Myrtleford, Alpine Shire, Victoria 6.2.60.

Registration VH-SSE cancelled 6.2.60

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-May-2025 07:39	Dr. John Smith	Added