VH-BGS. Britten-Norman BN-2A Mk III Trislander. c/n 322.

Was also registered as: G-BAFF; DQ-FBY; P2-DNX; VH-MRJ; ZK-LOU.

 

This aircraft was built by Britten-Norman, Bembridge, Isle of Wight - 1972

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-BAFF (CofR R.13086/1) - October 17, 1972

Registered to Britten-Norman (Bembridge) Limited, Isle of Wight

First flown using the Britten-Norman test registration 'G-51-322' - November 11, 1972

It was delivered to Islander Aircraft Sales, Lakemba, N.S.W. - December 05, 1972

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - January 01, 1973

Leased to Fiji Air Services, Suva, Fiji as the registered operator - January 01, 1973

Entered onto the Fiji Aircraft Register as DQ-FBY - January 03, 1973

Registered to Fiji Air Services, Suva

The aircraft was returned to Islander Aircraft Sales at the end of the lease - February 01, 1973

Used by Islander Aircraft Sales as a demonstrator aircraft in the South Pacific area

Cancelled from the Fiji Aircraft Register - March 01, 1973

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BGS - April 1973

Registered to Islander Aircraft Sales, Lakemba

It was leased to Barringer Surveys Sydney - April 1973

It had been fitted with a tail magnetometer

Sold to Bush Pilots Airways, Cairns - June 28, 1974

Registered to Bush Pilots Airways, Cairns - June 29, 1974

The tail magnetometer and associated equipment was removed from the aircraft - ?

Bush Pilots Airways changed its name to Air Queensland - December 01, 1981

Withdrawn from use by Bush Pilots Airways - November 02, 1982

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 02, 1982

Sold to Sunshine Coast Air Charter, Maroochydore - November 02, 1982

The aircraft underwent a major overhaul

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BGS - March 25, 1983

Registered to Sunshine Coast Charter, Maroochydore

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 11, 1983

Sold to Douglas Airways, Papua New Guinea - August 19, 1983

Entered onto the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-DNX - August 1983

Registered to Douglas Airways, Papua New Guinea

Withdrawn from use by Douglas Airways and stored pending sale - June 1989

Sold to Cape York Air Services, Cairns to be registered as 'VH-CYC' - 1994

This sale did not proceed and the aircraft remained as P2-DNX

Cancelled from the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register - May 05, 1995

Sold to Murchison Relines, Mount Magnet, Western Australia - May 05, 1995

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MRJ - May 05, 1995

Registered to Murchison Relines, Jandakot, Perth

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 04, 2004

Sold to Great Barrier Airlines, Auckland, New Zealand - September 16, 2004

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-LOU - September 16, 2004

The aircraft was badly damaged when a propeller separated inflight - July 05, 2009

The prop smashed through the side of the fuselage

The aircraft landed safely at Claris on Great Barrier Island with only minor injuries to the passengers

The aircraft was damaged beyond repair

To read the synopsis of this accident please click 'HERE'

To read the full accident report please click 'HERE'

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register by Great Barrier Airlines (In liquidation) - June 28, 2016

The remains of the aircraft were exported from New Zealand - no details known

 

 

VH-BGS. Bush Pilots Airways - in the non-standard livery at Townsville Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1040-294.)