Beavers & Beavers # 3 ZK-BMF

De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver ZK-BMF c/n 948 was imported into NZ by DHNZ of Wellington, I believe in about October of 1956. It was not assembled immediately but stored until February 1958. It first flew at Wellington on 04-03-1958 and was used by DH as a demonstrator.
It joined the Fieldair Ltd fleet at Gisborne from 24-04-1961.
Two views of ZK-BMF at Wellington on 27-05-1964.
Repaired following damage earlier in the month.

It was damaged on at least three occasions :- In May of 1964 (don't know where). On 04-10-1974 at Palmerston North and near Gisborne on 23-11-1981.
ZK-BMF at Dannevirke on 02-03-1969.

ZK-BMF at Dannevirke in September of 1969.
Like the rest of the fleet it passed through the Company name changes to Fieldair Holdings (Central) Ltd, Palmerston North on 18-11-80 and to Fieldair Holdings Ltd on 30-03-1984.
After being withdrawn it was stored at Gisborne until rebuilt to passenger configuration by Frank Wright of Tauranga; being registered to Frank & Kay Wright on 18-09-1991.
It was sold abroad and cancelled from the NZ register on 13-08-1992.
Some more NZ pics of it appear on the link below.
http://www.kiwibeavers.com/BMF.html
On 14-08-1992 it appeared on the Canadian register as C-FGAL with Glacier Air Ltd of Fort James, British Columbia until being canceled on 22-12-1998
I believe in late1998 it became N998CL but can find no reference as such. It moved to N712TS on 07-12-2000 with Hans Munich of East Sound, Washington.
Some pics of it appear on the following link.
http://www.dhc-2.com/id642.htm
Sadly it disappeared on 20-09-2004 with five persons aboard.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20041015X01635&key=1

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