ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 64146
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| Date: | Thursday 5 June 1952 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Otago Aero Club |
| Registration: | ZK-AJE |
| MSN: | 83464 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Otago Harbour, Otago -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Taieri AFB, Dunedin, New Zealand (NZTI) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth MSN 83464 (Gipsy Major #83659); Built by Morris Motors Ltd at Cowley, Oxford for the RAF as T5755 but shipped direct to New Zealand on the s.s 'Rangitiki' 5.7.40. Taken on charge by the RNZAF as NZ664 at Unit 18, Rongotai 11.10.40. To 4 EFTS Whenuapai by 1941. To 2 EFTS Ashburton [1942]. To 42 Squadron.
RNZAF Clarence, also known as Clarence River, was an emergency airstrip which was seldom used by RNZAF or Civil aviation during WWII, if ever. I am unsure when this airfield was established, but it must have had both a grass airstrip and a fuel reservoir of some sort. Smaller aircraft such as the Tiger Moth were known to refuel at the airfield when flying between Woodbourne and Christchurch or Ashburton.
This airfield was a factor in an incident detailed in volume two of 'Tiger Country' by Ramon K. Trollope when one of two Tiger Moth pilots flying from Woodbourne to Ashburton thought he was short on fuel and would not make it to Clarence. Instead the pilot, Pilot Officer E.J. Omundsen, landed NZ664 in a field at nearby Kekerengu, 13 miles away from the Clarence River strip.
Whilst he endeavoured to open the fuel tank to check the level the other pilot, Flying Offer G.L. Parker circled, confused. Parker thought Omundsen had confused this paddock, on the "Winterholme" estate of Commander T.S. Critchley, for Clarence, and he was trying to signal to his colleague where the airfield actually was when the whole affair was spotted from above.
Struck off Charge when sold 17.5.46 to Otago Aero Club. NZ civil registered as ZK-AJE 14.5.46 to Otago Aero Club; aircraft named "The Chocolate Aeroplane", and reportedly, this was due to a sponsorship deal with Cadbury's Chocolate. Badly damaged when overturned by gust of wind Taieri Airport, Dunedin 3.11.51; repaired and returned to service.
Written off (damage beyond repair) when ditched in Otago Harbour, Dunedin 5.6.52; Pilot - O.D. Helm. Registration ZK-AJE cancelled 17.12.52.
Otago Harbour is the natural harbour of Dunedin, New Zealand, consisting of a long, much-indented stretch of generally navigable water separating the Otago Peninsula from the mainland. They join at its southwest end, 21 km (13 miles) from the harbour mouth. It is home to Dunedin's two port facilities, Port Chalmers (half way along the harbour) and at Dunedin's wharf (at the harbour's end)
Sources:
1. Royal Air force Aircraft T1000-V9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzdh82.htm
3. http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
4. http://www.flydw.org.uk/DWZKAIQ.htm
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p834.html
6. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/43653551
7. ZK-AJE (ex.NZ664) at Taieri: https://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/112701
8. http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF%20Stations%20Blenheim.htm
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otago_Harbour
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-May-2009 12:58 | XLerate | Added |
| 09-Jul-2009 15:31 | angels one five | Updated |
| 26-May-2012 17:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2014 20:17 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 23-Sep-2021 11:37 | Antonio | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Oct-2021 17:23 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 27-Jan-2022 22:12 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 17-Feb-2022 02:03 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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