Commuter plane crash in Winnipeg?

[bschalme]

Our local CTV affiliate here in Winnipeg, CKY, announced on today's 6:00 news the name of the pilot who was killed in this crash.

[123.50]

My apologies for the faux pas... Rest in Peace God's child!

[...]

I found this...not too sure if the contents of the cargo is true.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/06/D8D2QNPG2.html

Plane Carrying Viruses Crashes in Canada
Oct 06 6:57 PM US/Eastern


WINNIPEG, Manitoba

A cargo plane carrying small amounts of flu virus crashed on railway tracks near Winnipeg's city center Thursday, killing the pilot but missing buildings and vehicles, authorities said.

The research samples of frozen influenza and herpes viruses were destroyed in the crash and ensuing fire along with other freight, Federal Express spokeswoman Karen Cooper said.

She said the Cessna 208 was owned by Morningstar Air Express of Edmonton and was under contract to FedEx.

Morningstar spokesman Don Boettcher didn't immediately identify the woman piloting the aircraft. "She'd been with us for about five years," he said, without providing further details.

The plane took off from the Winnipeg airport en route to Thunder Bay, Ontario, at about 5:45 a.m. and traveled about four miles southeast of the airport before it requested a return, Transportation Safety Board investigator David Ross said.

"The aircraft then descended below radar coverage and contact was lost with the aircraft," Ross said.

"It has crashed on railway tracks and does not appear to have collided with any other objects, houses or cars," police Sgt. Shelly Glover said.

Winnipeg police spokeswoman Carolyn Kwiatek said there was no damage to the surrounding area from the fire. The crash did tie up traffic on nearby streets during the morning rush, but no accidents or injuries resulted.

In its cargo were six vials of virus samples being sent to Thunder Bay for research, Cooper said.

Although the samples were labeled dangerous goods, they weren't considered hazardous at the crash site since all the cargo was destroyed in the blaze, Cooper said.

Police Sgt. Kelly Dennison said weather may have been a factor. Reports suggested light snow and mist in the area, temperatures near the freezing mark, moderate winds and about four miles of visibility.

Ross said the plane probably wasn't carrying a flight data recorder.

[Meso]

I guess they have realeased the name of the pilot. She was a very nice lady with a mild demeanor, always in a good mood. I'm not sure where from originally but, she lived in YFC in the early 90's and worked for a Gov agency I believe. She gave up her job( which she was sick of) and decided to become a pilot, trained at the old YFC flying club where she got her PPL,CPL and muti, she worked very hard and was deternined to make it in this industry, very noble for someone at her age to give up a good job and knowingly enter a crazy profession like this, believe me she was warned and informed many times about the craziness of the industry, but, like I said she was determined to make it happen, and she did, she loved it! Kudos to you for making it happen N.A. We will miss you,and you will always be in our hearts, never forgotten.

[shitdisturber]

A news article I saw earlier today stated that there was speculation amongst the investigators that she'd turned the aircraft into the railway yard to avoid hitting anyone on the ground. Incredible presence of mind under extreme pressure if that's the case. While it isn't much, her family can take some solace in her sacrifice.

[Majesty]

Condolences to family and friends.

[Probie]

A sad day for all of us.

[Dash7nomad]

Very sad news indeed. I did my commercial training at around about the same time N.A did at the old YFC flying club during the early 1990's. And yes, she was a very nice lady. Over the years people lose touch as this unfortunately was the case. However, I do remember well that everyone respected her and there is no doubt that this respect followed her through an aviation career.

Condolances to her family; she will be remembered.

[Mitch Cronin]

My deepest sympathies to all her friends and family.

[Jaques Strappe]

Fate really is the hunter. It hits home when you spend the day thinking of someone you have never met. I hope she didn't suffer.

[...]

...It hits home when you spend the day thinking of someone you have never met....

Ditto.


Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health,
happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your
friends feel there is something special in them. Look at the sunny side
of everything. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and
expect only the best. Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as
you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on
to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile.
Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to
criticize others. Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.
Try to enjoy everything you do, Life is too short not to.
--unknown

[squawk 7600]

My heart goes out to the family and friends. We see this all too much in this industry, and saddens me to know that it will happen again.

This accident (and many others before) makes us realize that we are vulnerable and are easily exposed to the possibility of these occurences. The key is to remember why we do this and that we all (and should) have the common goal of getting home to our loved ones...because in the end, that is all that matters.

[Snowgoose]

The Winnipeg Sun had a nice article about her this morning. Maybe this can be posted to the Avcanada wall.

Pilot Hailed as Hero
I'm proud of her: sister-in-law

A pilot killed in a dramatic plane crash outside Osborne Village died doing what she loved, her sister-in-law said yesterday.

"She wanted to fly, and that was the best job she could ever have," said Anna Chase last night from her Geary, N.B., home.

Nancy Chase Allan, 49, of Moncton, died early yesterday morning after her single engine Cessna 208B crashed on a railway track.

Mother of two

Chase Allan, a five-year veteran of Morningstar Air Express, used to live in Winnipeg, where she was an instructor at Perimeter Aviation.

Allan said Chase Allan, a divorced mother of two grown children, had been flying for about seven years after spending nearly 20 years working as a legal secretary.

"I guess she has always had a love of wanting to fly and she finally got gutsy enough to quit her job and took it upon herself to take her training," Allan said. "I'm very proud of her."

The Cessna was owned by Morningstar and contracted by Federal Express. Flags at FedEx's Sargent Avenue office were flying at half-staff yesterday. Don Boettcher, Morningstar's director of operations, said the airline will help grieving family members however it can and make sure they have access to required counselling resources.

He hailed Chase Allan as a hero for narrowly avoiding nearby roadways, homes and businesses during her troubled descent.

"I would say that's extremely commendable on her part," said Boettcher. "From the time she came out of the cloud layer ... to when she landed, she wouldn't have had much time.

"But, like all pilots, she would have wanted to avoid areas where there would be people. That's a natural instinct for most pilots, to spare as many lives as possible."

Chase said her sister-in-law would have done anything to avoid hurting anyone else.

"If there was any possible way she would have done that," Chase said. "It's one thing losing her own life, but she would never have wanted to hurt anyone else."

When Chase Allan wasn't flying she was selling real estate in Moncton, Chase said.

For the past several months, Chase Alan drove two hours every weekend to be with her ailing mother in Geary, N.B., Allan said.

"She would be there every Saturday by 11 in the morning. Her mom could set her watch by it. That was her day to be with her mom. "She was a beautiful person."

[neechi]

Havent read all 4 pages of this topic yet so forgive me if someone already mentioned this.

Having lived in wpg previously and knowing where this plane came to rest I can only say that she did a damn fine job. Landing where she did could only be compared to the civilian eqivilant of landing on a carrier...that is in terms of finding a place to put down in a sea of city. From the comments made on the news quoteing ATC communications with the pilot it was an icing issue that made her decide to return to the airport which means she probibly had even less time to make the desision of where to put down.

Of all the crashes this year this pilot get my vote for hero.

[bizjet_mania]

As short as her life was, it sounds like she lived a good one and was very much liked by those who knew her.

[CYQMer]

Hi There,

Here is a link to the ATC audio if you are interested:

******the link has been removed to the live ATC to respect a request made the other day. Editted by AvCanada *********

Some additional information on Nancy:

She lived in Dieppe NB and worked for Morningstar part time on the YQM - YYG route. Nancy also worked as a real estate agent for Pro Reality and here career there was just starting to pick up.

She was a mother, poet and daugthter.

She was filling in for a vacationing Winnipeg co-worker who normally flew that route. Here plane was being re-painted therefore she was offered this opertunty to cover a co-workes vacation and this would also give her the opertunity to catch up with some old Winnipeg friends. She was originally going to fly a Vancouver route while she waited for the plane but then found out about the oppertunity in YWG.

She flew for Morningstar in Winnipeg for 2 years then another 3 in Moncton.

She was 49 years old and had a total of 3500 hours.

Regards

[bob sacamano]

http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... 20051006-0

[low n over]

Very Sad. I'll always remember her walking across the ramp with her purse over her shoulder. Always cheerfull with poisse and a motherly way about her. A genuine gift to myself and the rest of the cadets on the PPL course in Shearwater 1997.

Theres always a seat for you in my aircraft Nancy.

God Bless.

[Brize]

Just caught this crash site image on airliners.net.

Real tragic...God bless her.

-edited the direct link out. Having followed that link I'm quite sure it's not the time to be posting up the pictures or atc feeds. If anyone has a sick facination they can hut it down on airliners.net. - endless

[Hotwings]

My condolences not only to family and friends, but to anyone who knew the pilot.
What a sad day for all of us!