VH-BBG (3)  Fletcher FU-24                        (c/n  141)

                                     

                                          There were three Fletcher FU-24s which, when imported into Australia from New Zealand, were
                                          to have become VH-EOD.  C/n 141, above, was one of them, and was originally built as ZK-CXX.
                                          In the event, -EOD was eventually taken up by c/n 143, and the others were allocated other markings
                                    .     There had to be a reason for this, but I have not researched it.  Anyway, when this shot of -BBG was
                                          taken by John Wheatley (early 1970s) it was flying with Pays Air Service.  The FU-24 in the back-
                                          ground is -EOF.       On 30 October 1996 whilst crop spraying some 4 km east of Dunedoo, NSW,
                                          (near Dubbo) VH-BBG hit power lines, impacted heavily with the ground, and overturned, killing the
                                          pilot.   The finding was that the pilot had limited recent flying experience, and very limited experience
                                          on type with regard to low-level spraying operations.