Date:	Friday 24 October 1958
Time:	day
Type:	De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	James Aviation Ltd
Registration:	ZK-AJO
MSN:	DHA489
Engine model:	de Havilland Gipsy Major
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Putaruru, Waikato -   New Zealand
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	Putāruru, South Waikato District, North Island
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth MSN DHA.489 (Gipsy Major #285): Built by DH Australia at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. Taken on charge by the RNZAF as NZ1403 at Unit 18, Rongotai, Wellington 8.10.41. To 2 EFTS, Ashburton [1942-43]. To 42 Squadron [1944-45].

Struck off charge when sold 29.5.46 to Canterbury Aero Club. NZ civil registered as ZK-AJO 28.5.46 to Canterbury Aero Club. Damaged at Waiho Airport 17.6.49 after tyre burst; repaired and returned to service. Re-registered 16.10.49 to O G James [James Aviation], Hamilton (and converted to topdresser by Aircraft Services NZ Ltd.). Re-registered 8.3.50 to James Aviation Ltd, Hamilton.

Swung on take-off & overturned at Kaiwaka 10.12.49; repaired and returned to service. Badly damaged when nosed over on downwind take-off, Te Uku 22.2.51; repaired and returned to service. Badly damaged Putāruru, South Waikato District, North Island 24.10.58;Pilot William Sutton. Repaired and returned to service

Re-registered 9.12.59 (after completion of repairs) to D Kain, Te Mata. Carried out the last aerial topdressing by a Tiger Moth in New Zealand on 18.1.66. Re-registered 3.8.66 to James Aviation Ltd, Hamilton (probably for display flying purposes). Rebuilt by Finch Aviation [in 1976-77].

Withdrawn from use at Hamilton 1981 and preserved by James Aviation at Hamilton in 1983. Registration ZK-AJO cancelled 6.5.93 as "withdrawn from use". To National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, Wellington (late 1990s). On display (until 2003); museum later renamed Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand. Status uncertain; not on display [2020].

1. http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
2. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzdh82.htm
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus4.html
4. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v668/the_hairy_dwarf/neg-14-08-08-395.jpg
5. http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm13/oldcrowfilms/Ossie%20James/C279_zpszj2c6qwp.jpg
6. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1565137
7. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Put%C4%81ruru

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-May-2009 12:58	XLerate	Added
10-Oct-2021 16:33	Antonio	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative, ]
01-Dec-2021 19:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category, ]
06-Dec-2021 02:22	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, ]
26-Jan-2022 05:03	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, ]