Date:	Sunday 15 May 1949
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	Frank Harold Gericke
Registration:	VH-BER
MSN:	83276
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Mount Gambier Airport, Wandilo, Mount Gambier, SA -   Australia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Mount Gambier Airport, Wandilo, South Auistralia (MGB/YMTG)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth VH-BER, Frank Harold Gericke, Mount Gambier, SA: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed on take off at Mount Gambier Airport, Wandilo, Mount Gambier, SA 15.5.49.

Registration VH-BER cancelled 6.8.51.

Mount Gambier Regional Airport (IATA: MGB, ICAO: YMTG) is an airport in the Limestone Coast, South Australia. It is located on the Riddoch Highway in Wandilo, about 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) north of Mount Gambier.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA) Tuesday 15 May 1949
3. The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA) Tuesday 17 May 1949
4. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/11620:vh-ber-1
5. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BER.html
6. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17d.htm
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p832.html
8. Photo of pilot & family in 1942: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/BRG+347/4345
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Gambier_Airport

c/no. 83276 (Gipsy Major #83032): Built by Morris Motors at Cowley, Oxford. Taken on charge as T5557 at 4 MU RAF Cowley, Oxford 14.5.40 and shipped direct to Australia on the s.s. \"Port Melbourne\" 1.7.40. Taken on charge by RAAF 9.9.40 retaining RAF serial.

To 8 EFTS RAAF Narrandera, NSW 14.10.40. To 11 EFTS RAAF Benalla, Victoria 6.9.41. To 2 AOS RAAF Mount Gambier 19.12.44. Transferred to CMU; put up for sale in April 1947.

Struck off charge when sold 9.12.47 to Frank H Gericke, Mount Gambier. Registered as VH-BER 24.9.47 to Frank Harold Gericke, Benara Road, Mount Gambier, SA.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed on take off at Mount Gambier Airport, Wandilo, Mount Gambier, SA 15.5.49.

Registration VH-BER cancelled 6.8.51.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-May-2025 16:47	Dr. John Smith	Added