Air crash recalled

By Tania Martin
KYEEMA has been labelled the disaster that had to happen, but that didn’t stop hundreds of people from using Saturday to commemorate the tragic loss of 18 lives.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 70 years since the air crash disaster stopped the nation.
The crash has long since been referred to as the accident that had to happen for the Federal Government to sit up and take notice of air traffic control.
Shortly after 1.43pm on 25 October 1938 the Douglas DC-2 Kyeema got lost in low-lying cloud and fog, 40 kilometres off course.
The plane was travelling from Adelaide to Essendon when it crashed into the side of Mt Dandenong.
Eighteen people died in the crash, including parliamentarian Charles Hawker.
Mt Dandenong author of Disaster in the Dandenongs Macarthur Job said the crash resulted in the introduction of a state-of-the-art air traffic control system and navigation beacons.
Mr Job said until that point the government had denied the need for air traffic control.
But that misty day in October soon changed the course of history.
In a two-hour ceremony last Saturday, local politicians spoke about the crash which was the worst on record.
It was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony and concluded with a DC-3 fly-over salute.
Colin Gramp can still vividly remember the day his father died in the crash.
He was at boarding school in South Australia when he saw the DC-2 fly over on its way to Melbourne.
It was that afternoon shortly after 4pm that he learnt of the crash on the radio. “It was a real shock,” Mr Gramp said.
He said after the crash the aviation industry and the government pulled together to help the families of the victims.
Mr Gramp said the commemoration was a great chance to remember his father.
“Tonight (Saturday) we will go out to dinner and toast our father,” he said.