By W. A. Walker – http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austu/VH-UYC.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110127712
| Time: 4 weeks Level: 7-10 Key Learning Areas: ICT Skills required: Low level IT skills |
On an overcast October day in 1938, a DC-2 called the Kyeema with a full crew and 14 passengers left Adelaide for Essendon Airport. In the early afternoon the Kyeema ploughed into the side of Mt Dandenong killing all on board. The tragedy raised many questions at the time and resulted in significant changes to air safety practices in Australia.
- What do we know of the Kyeema before the crash?
- How did the crew become so lost that they overshot Essendon Airport crashing into the mountain more than 50 km away?
- Who were the passengers?
- Where exactly did the crash occur?
- Did anything good come out of the accident?
- Is there anything to see at the site of the accident today?
You might like to answer some of these questions or let your own curiosity take you down a different path.
Be creative on how you will present you research into the Kyeema tragedy. You might like to consider an audio re-enactment, a newspaper report or a biography of one of the passengers.
Resources
There are many resources on the Kyeema tragedy available including many on the Internet. Here are some links to resources that might be useful.
Another tragic accident
On April 12th 1962, a single engine Mustang being flown by Ron Flockhart crashed in heavy fog at Kallista in the Dandenong Ranges killing the pilot. Who was Ron Flockhart and why was he flying a World War II Mustang from Moorabbin Airport to Sydney?