Pilot Michael Hutchins was 52 when the single-engine Cessna 210 VH-MDX he was flying disappeared on August 9, 1981.

It remains Australia's only unsolved civil aviation mystery.

Kevin has never spoken publicly about the crash despite many attempts by various media outlets to get his story.

Just 18 when he lost his father, Kevin said the plane crash changed his life.

"It was terrible. I was very sad and upset. It was very hard to hear the voice of your father and know it's the last few minutes of his life," Kevin said.

"I still miss him and always will. When he was around we were always doing things - swimming, surfing, walking and going on adventures. He was pretty smart and funny, but there was a serious side to him too."

Kevin said his father was a very experienced aviator who had served in both Australian and Canadian air forces.

"He loved to fly. He'd fly for nothing. I think he loved the fact that there are no stop signs up there."

One of the hardest things Kevin has had to deal with is that some people assume the crash was his father's fault.

"That's not fair. No one knows what really happened on that plane that night. I know it wasn't his fault because after the accident there was a coroner's inquest and a court case to decide what caused their deaths, and it was decided that it was not pilot error."

Kevin and his family moved to Stroud from Sydney eight years ago after visiting the village many times on their way up to Barrington Tops.

"We love living here. It's good to be able to go up to the mountains and be close to where the plane went missing. I still do that sometimes."

Kevin said that he would like the plane to be found one day.

"It would be nice to know what happened, but if it's never found so be it. Some would like to know where it is, and others not. It's a hard one."

This article was taken from The Newcastle Herald's Newspaper Competition section Primary entry #50: Stroud Public School. It first appeared in the Newcastle Herald on October 9.