AUSTRALIAN AIR CRASH

Evening Star, Issue 23101, 29 October 1938, Page 17

AUSTRALIAN AIR CRASH

EVIDENCE AT OPENING OF INOUIRY STRESS LAID OH ABSENCE OF RADIO BEACON Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyriffhi SYDNEY, October 28. The inquiry ordered by the Commonwealth Government into the air disaster on Tuesday, when the airliner Kyeema crashed into Mount Daudenong, killing 18 persons aboard, was begun to-day. “ We are not here to find out why this machine crashed, but to find out the reason for the failure to install a radio beacon at Essendon,” said Mr Little, who represented the Australian Institute of Air Pilots and Navigators at the inquiry. “We can call evidence to show that this crash could have been averted.'’ _ As the inquiry was about to adjourn until Monday, Mr Little said that the people for whom he was appearing were particularly interested in the absence of facilities in the machines for locating direction, the antiquity of the wireless installations in the machines, and the absence of a radio beam. He asked the committee whether it could make available any documents otv reports and recommendations made to the Civil Aviation Board, with information as to what reports had been made, to whom they had been made, and whether they had been shelved. The chairman of the committee. Colonel T. Murdoch, assuring Mr Little that inquiries would be made, suggested that he renew the application later. Seven witnesses who were near the scene of the crash, a technical witness, and a police officer, were examined before the inquiry adjourned.