Operation: Training

Date: 14th July 1951 (Saturday)

Unit: Waikato Aero Club

Type: Tiger Moth DH-82A

Serial: ZK-ARY

Code: -

Base: Rukuhia airfield, Hamilton, New Zealand

Location: Kaipaki, Waikato, New Zealand

Pilot: Norman Alexander Suttie Age 39. Killed

Pilt U/T: Allert Christiaan Chrlsstoffels Age 29. Injured (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Extract from New Zealand Press Association) Auckland, 15th July 1951:

The chief instructor of the Waikato Aero Club lost his life yesterday when a Tiger Moth aircraft crashed in a paddock at Kaipaki, eight miles south of Hamilton. He was: Mr Norman Alexander Suttle, aged 39, married, with two children.

The other occupant of the plane, Mr Albert Christiaan Chrlsstoffels, 28, an aircraft engineer, of River road, Hamilton, received shock, bruises and a suspected fracture of the left foot. He was admitted to the Waikato Hospital.

The accident occurred at 3.40 p.m. yesterday, about half an hour after the plane had taken off from the Rukuhia aerodrome. Eye witnessess at Kaipaki watched it making practice turns. Then it went into a spin and lost height rapidly. It stumbled over a belt of high trees at the side of Parallel road, and struck the high-tension power lines, bringing the wires down. As it landed it carried away about 30 yards of a post and wire fence along the road boundary. It came to rest with the fuselage and wings in the paddock and the tailplane on the fence.

Mr Chrisstoffels was in the back cockpit and was able to free himself before assistance arrived. He tried to lift Mr Suttie out, but had to stop because of weakness from his injuries. When helpers arrived they found several broken power lines lying across the plane.

A telephone call was made to the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board to ensure that the power was shut off.

Above courtesy Whites Aviation.

Mr Suttie was then extricated but was found to be dead. The plane was badly damaged, with the fuselage shattered and the wings crumpled. It landed on Mr G. G. Garmonsway’s farm, only about 100 yards from his house. He heard the crash and was the first on the scene, but other neighbours arrived quickly. All the power lines serving the area were broken.

Mr Chrisstoffels, who came to New Zealand about three months ago, had 41 hours of flying experience. He obtained his licence in Indonesia on Piper Cub aircraft. He became a member of the Waikato Aero Club only yesterday. He went on the flight with Mr Suttie to obtain instruction in handling Tiger Moths, so that he could add this plane to his flying classification.

Mr Suttie learned to fly under Mr S. Gibbons of the Canterbury Aero Club and made his first solo flight in 1935.

In 1939, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. After service in New Zealand, he joined Air Travel (N.Z. Ltd.) on the West Coast in 1943. He flew between Hokitika and Okuru and Hokitika and Nelson. When the company was taken over by National Airways in 1947, he became an employee of that organisation. About a year ago he was appointed flying instructor to the Waikato Club. He had about 6300 hours flying to his credit.

Burial and further details:

Norman Alexander Suttie. Hamilton East Cemetery, New Zealand. Grave A-F-93. Born on the 01st September 1911. Son of Alexander Suttie (died 18th May 1960) and Jemima Hauton Suttie (died 19th August 1960). Husband of Nancy and father of Jill and John of Hamilton, New Zealand.

Enlisted as P/O. on the 16th of September 1939 as a flight instructor in No.1 Elementary Flying Training School at Taieri as one of this school's first flying instructors.

He injured his hand in March 1941, so was transferred to navigation (flying) duties as from 10th April 1941. On 29th January 1942 he was posted to instructional duties at Initial Training Wing at Levin, then to a Fighter Operations course held at Air Headquarters (Wellington) from the 29th June 1942, and on completion, back to Initial Training Wing, which had by now moved to Rotorua (still in 1942

It seems that absolutely no use was made of his newly acquired skills as a fighter controller! As from the 17th September 1942 he was posted to Hobsonville where he joined No. 1 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight, which happened to be equipped with at least one Walrus amphibian, as well as random other aircraft types.

He remained with this unit when it was moved to Mangere in March 1943, almost certainly still as a pilot, presumably busy towing drogues for the Army, Navy, or Air Force.

At the end of August 1943, he embarked on a new career, being posted to Wigram (No.1 Service Flying Training School) for a two-week flying refresher course (presume in multi-engine aircraft, such as Oxford), and was then attached to Air Travel (NZ) Ltd at Hokitika and became an 'airline pilot'.

Now he piloted West coasters as well as mail and goods aboard any of several Fox Moths (or more likely the last Dragonfly) over the small but interesting network of routes which comprised this little company's "trade" till May 1944, quite a novelty for an air force officer. (The three airlines remaining in NZ were but a shadow of their former selves, and were only able to operate "skeleton" services during most of the war, with very few aircraft and even fewer civilian pilots available.)

This interesting career came to an end when he returned to military duty with No. 42 Squadron at Rongotai on the 01st June 1944. On the 28th of December 1944, he was transferred to the Reserve, Class B, Section I.

He had risen to the rank of Flying Officer 1/12/40, to Flight Lieutenant w.e.f. 1/4/42. Pre-war, he had been a civilian flying instructor

(1) Allert Christiaan Chrisstoffels - Born 08th October 1922 in Padang, Indonesia, passed away on the 16th June 2024 in Rangiora, age 101. Son of Allert Christiaan Chrisstoffels (died 12th December 1973) and Emilia Rijnsaardt (married 07th August 1919 in Odoorn, Netherlands - died 31st March 1980)

L-R: Rear; Pilot Officer Norman Alexander Suttie, Flying Officer Leonard Frederick Beresford Poore (died Above 15th April 1968, age 68), Pilot Officer R.B Potter, Pilot Officer Ernest Laurie Page (died 05th December 1982, age 74), Pilot Officer P.C Lewis.
Centre; Flying Officer Frederick John Adams (died 15th March 1974, age 62), Pilot Officer Arthur Cuthbert Baines (died 03rd September 1947, age 33), Flying Officer Maurice Beehan Furlong, Flying Officer W. Temple, Flying Officer P.B Roebuck, Pilot Officer M.H McKenzie
Front; Flying Officer A.W Burbidge, Flight Lieutenant Jonas Willam Henry Lett, Squadron Leader Gordon Lomax Stedma diedn, Flying Officer M.H Clare, Flight Lieutenant Allan Crighton. (killed 23rd March 1943, age 32) (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the amazing Wings Over New Zealand Forum who without their assistance this article would not be possible. New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Papers Past

Other sources as quoted below:

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