First Air Crash Resolute Bay August 20 2011

[TA/RA]

sorry sbout that i wasnt aware I stand corrected.

[sanjet]

Sad day, thoughts and prayers to crew and pax. A very professionally run company.

[Flybabe]

Thoughts and condolences to friends and family of crew and passengers. Very very tragic news, today

[LuckyPilot]

Names are starting to slowly roll in, it's a very sad day. Many hours on NWN in my NV days, and at least one crew member I flew with often. Over my 34 years of Aviation I had to deal with this from time to time particularly my years up north. Never easy!

[rigpiggy]

At least a little good news, thank god they have the extra bodies to help.

A 737 passenger jet crashed Saturday near Resolute Bay, Nunavut, in Canada's High Arctic, killing 12 people and injuring three others on board.

Nunavut RCMP said First Air charter flight 6560 was travelling from Yellowknife to Resolute Bay with 15 people on board, including four crew members.

A flight list was not immediately available. Police did not have any information about the condition of the three survivors.

CBC reporter Patricia Bell said two granddaughters of a local inn owner were on the plane. One of them died while the other survived and was airlifted to a hospital in Iqaluit. A cook at the inn was also on the plane, Bell said.

In a statement confirming the crash, First Air said the plane's last reported communication was at 12:40 p.m. CT, approximately eight kilometres from the airport, and that the plane went down 10 minutes later.
First Air provides scheduled passenger and cargo service between 25 northern communities with connections to Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. First Air provides scheduled passenger and cargo service between 25 northern communities with connections to Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. CBC

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in CFB Trenton said helicopters and medical personnel are now at the site, and the RCMP said residents had been assisting in the rescue.

Some people in Resolute Bay saw the crash, not far from the runway of the airport that serves the hamlet of about 200 residents.

"People in the community are understandably quite upset," Bell said.

Witnesses said the plane crashed into a small hill.

"You could see parts of the plane everywhere … tail, nose, everything," said Saroomie Manik, a former mayor of the community who went to the site.

RCMP Const. Angelique Dignard said the crash site is less than two kilometres west of the Resolute Bay community and is accessible by ATV, though the terrain is rugged.

Hundreds of military personnel are currently in the area for the massive military exercise Operation Nanook. But the co-ordination centre says that the incident was not a part of a simulation planned for the operation.
Passenger inquiries

First Air customer care centre: 1-800-750-0923

The plane had been scheduled to continue on to Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island.

Chris Krepski, spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said investigators were on the scene soon after the crash. They were already in Resolute, scheduled to participate next week in the military exercise.

Krepski said it was too soon to say what caused the crash.

"At this point it's gathering as much information as we can from the accident scene, from interviewing witnesses, speaking to air traffic control, getting weather records, maintenance records from the company, that kind of thing."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to travel to Resolute Bay on Monday for his annual trip to the Arctic while Gov.-Gen. David Johnston, who is currently touring the Arctic, was scheduled to hold events in Resolute Bay this weekend.

"It was supposed to be a time of celebration … now instead the community is in shock and grieving," CBC's Bell said.

Kanata, Ont.-based First Air said they would not be holding a news conference Saturday. The airline provides scheduled passenger and cargo service between 25 northern communities with connections to Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa.

The airline began in 1946 as Bradley Air Services, offering charter, surveying, passenger and cargo flights across northern Canada.

[rigpiggy]

Anybody who works at first air please put up a facebook update asap, so your family can stop worrying. Also if you have a phone tree get them to phone bomb everybody. Several years back I had a plane/route that I was supposed to be flying go down. I got calls all day while trying to attend to matters

[rigpiggy]

Anybody who works at first air please put up a facebook update asap, so your family can stop worrying. Also if you have a phone tree get them to phone bomb everybody. Several years back I had a plane/route that I was supposed to be flying go down. I got calls all day while trying to attend to matters

[termerair]

My deepest condoleances to the family members, friends and colleagues affected by this tragedy. Hoping for a quick and full recovery for the ones injured.

T.

[YYC-OPS]

From Globe & Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... le2136238/

Resolute resident Doreen McDonald said she was listening to music when her husband heard a large explosion. They looked outside, but could see nothing. The whole of Resolute was blanketed in a thick fog.

“I don't know why anyone would risk trying to land in those conditions,” said Ms. McDonald, who runs the airport gift shop.

Ms. McDonald said that two stewardesses and the seven-year-old granddaughter of a local innkeeper were the lone survivors. The girl's six-year-old sister was also aboard the plane.

Police say the three survivors were flown to Iqaluit for treatment, and one of the adults was in critical condition.

[YEGer]

Globe and mail reports two flight attendants were amoung the survivors. Great news, I have known one of them for 25 years.

[nutbutter]

From Globe & Mail:
“I don't know why anyone would risk trying to land in those conditions,” said Ms. McDonald, who runs the airport gift shop."

They only say that after the accident, before the accident they tell you how the other pilot did it last week, and how he's a "real bush pilot."

[down north]

For those of you who know Ozzie, 2 of his granddaughters where on the airplane, sadly one of the young girls died.
What a crappy day in the Arctic, very somber mood at YZF airport.

[privateer]

Just for info only. Do not use for Navigation.
Please do not start making guesses as to what happened.

[BTyyj]

Terrible news and tragedy. I hope the survivors will recover fully and quickly.

Not to speculate, but knowing that there were only three survivors, would that mean it was was the two Flight Attendants and the little girls? I wonder if they were all near the rear of the aircraft. Not wishing to speculate, although based on the pictures, they seem to be very lucky.

My condolences to all those involved and affected by the crash.

[Hawkerflyer]

So very tragic. Thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends.

[Doc]

Can someone PM me with names ASAP? Thanks

[justwork]

Thoughts and prayers to the everyone. Very tragic.

[sky's the limit]

Shocked.... everyone here at our fire camp sends our best to all involved.

stl

[Siddley Hawker]

Terrible news. I used to know some of the guys at Bradley. My deepest condolances to the employees and colleagues at First Air and those others touched by this sad event.

[iflyforpie]

My sincerest condolences to all affected...

[All Sides]

We regularly fly to Iqaluit with First Air, they have some nasty wx up here, but I am always comfortable flying with their crews.

Very sad day.......

My sincere condolences to all the families, friends and co-workers at FA.

Fly Safe everyone.

[flying4dollars]

This is a very sad day. My condolences go out to the friends and families affected by this. If anyone knows who the crew was, would someone kindly PM me please? I know folk at First Air and I cannot get ahold of them to make sure they are okay. Thank you.

RIP

[55+]

Noticed the ILS/DME 35T is notamed u/s till 22@2359. and there ia a MTCA with associated PAR, twr and gnd. Not sure if the ILS was notamed u/s as a result of this or some other operational Nav Canada reason or whatever or if the Military PAR was used for the only approach with vertical guidance..........

Heartfelt sympathy to family/friends/co-workers on this very sad day

[Stian]

I know 3 pilots at First air, if someone know the names, please PM me.

[down north]

Not to speculate, but knowing that there were only three survivors, would that mean it was was the two Flight Attendants and the little girls?

Just found out who the crew members were.
No crew members made it, one of the young girls did...