ZK-AKH de
Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHNZ57)
Taken outside the
D.H. Rongotai plant in 1946 following its conversion to a civil
aircraft.
It was then sold to the Otago Aero
Club. After a series of private owners it was placed in
storage from 1965 until
1971. It was restored to airworthiness condition but
unfortunately
crashed and was destroyed by fire
at Waimate Aerodrome 0n 31 March 1975, killing the
pilot. The aircraft was evidently
part of a formation flight giving a display when, for no apparent
reason, it dropped astern and lost
altitude, before entering a steep dive and crashing onto the
airport. The pilot was killed in
the crash and the accident investigation pointed to some sort
of temporary physical incapacitation.