Date & Time:
Oct 15, 1953 at 1555 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1811
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Demonstration
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wigram - Wigram
MSN:
04321
YOM:
1952
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to the celebrations of the London - Christchurch Rallye anniversary. Two RNZAF Devon's registered NZ1810 and NZ1811 were engaged in a demonstration at Wigram Airbase. While approaching the airfield from the south at an altitude of 1,200 feet, both aircraft collided with their wings (it appears that the right wing of NZ1810 touched the left wing of NZ1811). Out of control, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed in a paddock located about 700 meters from the airbase and were totally destroyed. All seven crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew on board NZ1810:
F/Lt Edwin Pattison Booth Ebbett, pilot,
A1c Brian James Keogh,
A1c Eric Melrose.
Crew on board NZ1811:
S/L Sholto Russell Duncan, pilot,
A1c William Henry Sharman,
A2c Russell Woodcock,
Lt Erling William Ziesler.
Crew on board NZ1810:
F/Lt Edwin Pattison Booth Ebbett, pilot,
A1c Brian James Keogh,
A1c Eric Melrose.
Crew on board NZ1811:
S/L Sholto Russell Duncan, pilot,
A1c William Henry Sharman,
A2c Russell Woodcock,
Lt Erling William Ziesler.
Probable cause:
Wrong judgement on part of both crew members while flying in formation.
