Fatal Accident - Yoho National Park

[Golden Pilot]

Story developing, but it sounds like a single engine Cessna crashed this AM in Yoho.
1 on board, Possible fatal.
Banff Park Rescue crews on scene all afternoon. Sounded like a Buffalo overhead YGE at altitude, Cormorant landed at YGE late PM.

[iflyforpie]

RCC called me this morning looking for info on an ELT in the area. Was on pins and needles as a plane had just left on a local flight but they came back. I was hoping it was a false alarm.

Hoping for the best. Today was definitely not a day to fly the mountain passes...

[iflyforpie]

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loca ... lumbiaHome

Condolences to all affected...

[bizjets101]

'Rescuers also noted there were animal footprints leading away from the crash site, which the RCMP believe are from the pilot's dog.'

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Vancouver Sun

[Golden Pilot]

Most sincere condolences to family and friends on this tragedy.


Rescuers also noted there were animal footprints leading away from the crash site, which the RCMP believe are from the pilot's dog.
I hope that they are able to find the Dog. There are a lot of Wolves in the Yoho Valley, not the place for a possibly injured domestic Dog to be wandering. The site is across the kicking Horse River ( and downstream) from Field BC on the NE facing slope of Mt King.


The pilot relayed his co-ordinates to flight crews when the plane was near Mount Vaux, RCMP said. That was the last known location of the plane before it crashed.

Our information was that this was the final "Satellite Tracking" fix on the Aircraft this AM.

[kevinsky18]

Final satelite tracking fix? As in Spot or did this plane have a Sky Tracker system?

Whatever it was it made a big difference in how long it took to locate the crash, normaly these searches in the mountains can go on for days and sometimes weeks.

[iflyforpie]

We have the Guardian GPS tracking system for our aircraft and it makes a world of difference to me flying in the mountains--especially if I can't really plan a definite route.

The big advantage is that GPS tracking systems are fail-safe. Even if the unit is destroyed in a crash it will lead you to where it last transmitted. The new 406 ELTs have the same failure-prone G switch as the 121.5 ELTs and can be destroyed on impact or blocked by terrain.

[Golden Pilot]

I believe that it had some sort of SkyTracker system.

[AJV]

We have the Guardian GPS tracking system for our aircraft and it makes a world of difference to me flying in the mountains--especially if I can't really plan a definite route.

The big advantage is that GPS tracking systems are fail-safe. Even if the unit is destroyed in a crash it will lead you to where it last transmitted. The new 406 ELTs have the same failure-prone G switch as the 121.5 ELTs and can be destroyed on impact or blocked by terrain.

we have the same thing and what a great system! I feel much better knowing that someone will know where to look.....

[bizjets101]

http://www.ourairports.com/airports/CFX6/ Vulcan Aiport

A Border Collie may be the lone survivor after a small plane crash over Yoho National Park yesterday. Police have still not released the name of the 60-year-old pilot killed in the crash but the man was flying a Cessna 180 with his dog Rusty. He was travelleing from Vulcan, Alberta to Springfield just outside of Williams Lake. A rescue squadron in Comox picked up the plane's emergency locator beacon when it entered Yoho National Park which is why crews were able to find the crash site just after 3 pm yesterday. Golden RCMP are continuing their investigation. The Collie left the scene of the crash and has not yet been located. source

Very respectful of the Park Rangers - the aircraft is said to have flown in to the side of a mountain - into deep snow, in an avalanche area. Park Rangers have returned to the site today attempting to locate the missing dog. Owner of the aircraft was from the Williams Lake area.

Authorities found the wreckage in a gorge at an elevation of about 1,500 metres on Mount King, near Golden, B.C. More Info - The Kathryn Report

[bizjets101]

Calgary Herald

Searchers have found a pet dog that survived unharmed following a plane crash in Yoho National Park that killed its owner.

Parks Canada employees found Rusty, a six-year-old border collie, a short distance from the mountainside where Ed Fedaj died when his single-engine plane crashed Wednesday afternoon.

Ed, 59, was flying home to Williams Lake, B.C. after visiting relatives in southern Alberta.

The dog is being examined today and will live with Fedaj’s younger brother, Ted.

“There’s not a scratch on him,” Ted said from the family’s farm near Champion.

Searchers found Ed’s Cessna 180 at an elevation of about 1,500 metres on the side of Mount King, near Golden, B.C.

Authorities quickly removed Ed’s body due to a high avalanche risk, but were unable to follow tracks leading away from the wreckage to find Rusty before leaving the scene.

The dog’s survival is a small blessing amid the family’s mourning for Ed, whom Ted called “the nicest guy you ever saw.”

The brothers were partners in the family farm near Champion, and expanded their business about a decade ago by buying a ranch near Williams Lake, B.C.

Ed until a few years ago, when both brothers decided to retire.

Ed took up flying and acquired his pilot’s licence about four years ago.

About two years ago, Ed bought the Cessna, which he kept at an airstrip in Springhouse, near Williams Lake.

“He loved to fly and he loved life,” Ted said.

The B.C. Coroners Service and the federal Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, but haven’t determined what caused it.

Ted said his brother was a cautious pilot who had flown to visit family in Alberta six or seven times.

“He probably turned around just as many times because of bad weather,” Ted said.

“He was a safe pilot.”

[bizjets101]

The family of the pilot is said to be extremely grateful to Parks Canada employee's who returned to the crash site - which is under a Avalanche Watch - to track and rescue the deceased pilot's family pet.

[bizjets101]

Two days after (recovering the deceased pilot) in the wreckage of his Cessna, (CF-RGM) a pair of Parks Canada employees have located the dog which survived the same crash.

He was alive, well and happy to see people.

Visitor safety specialist, Chris Gooliaff with Yoho Park, and J.P. Kors, went back to the site near the B.C.-Alberta border Friday armed with dog biscuits and hope when looking for Ed Fedaj's border collie, Rusty.

First they travelled several kilometres by snowmobile and then skied towards the plane, which went down Wednesday.

They could hear Rusty bark as they called his name before they reached the site.

"He was very enthusiastic and happy to see us and started running towards us," Gooliaff said.

"Considering he had been out there for two days he was very happy to see us and greeted us like he was a dog who had been missing people for a few days."

Ottawa Sun

[Rowdy]

That surely is a beautiful collie! Props to the individuals who went looking for em!!