Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.

[golden hawk]

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/fatal-plane-crash ... -1.6900947

Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.


Ian Holliday
CTVNewsVancouver.ca Reporter
Contact
Updated May 25, 2024 3:25 p.m. PDT
Published May 25, 2024 1:05 p.m. PDT

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.

The TSB said it has not been deployed to the scene yet, and referred questions about the incident to Squamish RCMP.

BC Emergency Health Services also referred questions about the incident to local police.

In a statement Saturday afternoon, Squamish RCMP said they have received a report of the crash "in a remote area" and are "working with partner agencies to advance the investigation."

Police said they received an automatic crash notification from a smartphone Friday evening, adding that the location of the phone was "in a remote area on the outskirts of Squamish, B.C."

Search and rescue crews, along with the Canadian Forces' Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, have been called in to help advance the investigation, police said.

"Due to the challenges of accessing the remote location, police are not yet able to confirm any details regarding the crash," the statement reads. "No further information will be provided at this time."

Asked about its response, the JRCC told CTV News it was informed of "an overdue private aircraft" shortly before 6:30 p.m.

The location given was "20 nautical miles north of Vancouver," the JRCC said, adding that it had tasked a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-130 Hercules plane from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Comox to search for the small aircraft.

The search was focused on "Mount Ellesmere and its surrounding area," according to the JRCC.

Mount Ellesmere is located on the west side of Howe Sound, roughly 10 kilometers southwest of downtown Squamish.

Shortly after they were dispatched Friday night, the Cormorant and Hercules returned to base "due to increasingly challenging weather conditions," the JRCC said, adding that, on Saturday, the RCMP informed it that its resources were no longer needed.

The TSB is tasked with investigating civil aviation incidents, including crashes, that occur in Canadian airspace. It conducts independent investigations and publishes reports identifying the factors that contributed to each incident, as well as any safety deficiencies that need to be addressed.

[7ECA]

Slightly baffling that we know nothing about what's crashed, and this happened Friday. Must've been a private GA aircraft, rather than an FTU bird or some other commercial operator...

[godsrcrazy]

Slightly baffling that we know nothing about what's crashed, and this happened Friday. Must've been a private GA aircraft, rather than an FTU bird or some other commercial operator...

Very surprising the arm chair TSB investigators haven't kicked in yet.

[pelmet]

Slightly baffling that we know nothing about what's crashed, and this happened Friday. Must've been a private GA aircraft, rather than an FTU bird or some other commercial operator...

Very surprising the arm chair TSB investigators haven't kicked in yet.

They typically wait until there is actual factual information before commenting.

[SeptRepair]

Heard on good knowledge the weather at the time was shit in that area. It was a guy and his girlfriend on board. The Murphy Rebel was based out of Hope.

[CpnCrunch]

[ahramin]

1717302211217.jpg (128.5 KiB) Viewed 1297 times

[dominicelliott]

1717302211217.jpg

[karmutzen]

Well, maybe I am an "armchair investigator". I read about crashes and wonder where the "system" failed. Weather was poor, so we only fly on CAVU days? TC keeps adding instrument time to licences, is that working? Nothing wrong with flying in weather, but you have to know when and how to turn around. Are flying schools teaching that?

Up Howe Sound in low weather in a very capable airplane, yeah I'd have a look, after checking webcams for Squamish. Often the block there is the short run from the beach to the airport in rising ground and narrowing valley.

So armchairing it, why are pilots going inadvertent IMC instead of turning around? With all the cheap effective options, like a G5 and an iPad, any competent pilot could 180 out - like they train and test to get your license.

Interesting that the accident notification went straight from a smart phone to the RCMP. RCMP called out SAR resources. Wonder if the airplane had satellite tracking? Think I'll buy a new iPhone instead of batteries for my ELT.

[itsgrosswhatinet]

You can usually guess what professional pilots were thinking. Weekend warriors are much less predictable and can get into trouble in ways you'd never imagine.

[‘Bob’]

Technology is likely encouraging pilots to press on rather than giving them more tools to get out of danger.