Missing C180 in the Rockies

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:46 pm

Just saw on the news a 180 from Boundary Bay took off from Calgary yesterday and is missing. Thoughts and prayers for yet another.
On a side note, the newsman said "Rescue efforts are being hampered by the clouds. When a rescue plane takes off and flies into the clouds, they cannot see the ground." Thanks for that, genius.

tom · Post by **tom** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:40 pm

I hope evebody is O.K.

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:13 pm

Did they mention anything else? There are only a couple 180's at ZBB and I know all the owners. ANyone know?

My prayers that they're found.

IS it just me or is this august a horrible month for aviation?

Post by **avcanada** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:00 pm

My prayers to the family and friends. I wish for the best.

airbornredneck · Post by **airbornredneck** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:31 pm

Searched the intended flight path with CASARA crews from Nelson, Cranbrook, Invermere. Several Buffalos and SAR helicopters as well as a Herc doing an electronic search from high alt helped. Looks like a full-on search will commence tommorow.

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:38 pm

Sorry to say but they gave the name of the pilot. Can't remember but he is a retired orthodontist, I think they said.

No Conflict · Post by **No Conflict** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:05 am

News mentioned he was flying at 12000ft. can't remember the name of the pilot either, sorry... they also showed pictures of the pilots.

Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.

Blastor · Post by **Blastor** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:51 pm

Search launched for missing pair

Plane fails to show up in B.C. after leaving area on Monday

By Sarah Kennedy, Calgary Sun

A massive search has been launched after a pilot and his elderly passenger, who was a navigator in the Second World War, failed to reach their destination.

Pilot Peter Fransblow, 68, and his passenger Phil Black, 80, left Springbank Airport Monday morning after attending a memorial for Canada's Bomber Command at the Nanton Lancaster Museum.

But they never arrived in Boundary Bay, B.C.

Thick clouds and rain hindered the search by members of the Canadian air force and the Civilian Air Search Rescue Association (CASRA).

Despite using emergency locator transmitters, they failed to detect any traces of the Cessna 180.

But despite the unsuccessful results so far, Fransblow's wife Ann is still hanging on to hope.

"I believe a situation arose where he had to put the plane down," she said.

"He's a very good pilot and I believe he's waiting for the rescuers to find him."

The Vancouver resident is a retired orthodontist who has been flying as a hobby for 30 years.

He agreed to fly Black -- a long-time friend of his -- to attend the memorial in Nanton.

The treacherous mountain terrain has made for a difficult search -- another reason Ann has hope her husband is alive.

"There wouldn't be any contact areas around," she said from the couple's Vancouver home yesterday.

Ten civilian planes and six military aircraft, including Buffalo and Hercules planes, and Cormorant, and Griffon helicopters, have been searching for the missing plane since late Monday afternoon.

Rodney Zair, deputy commander for Calgary CASRA, said radar showed Fransblow was en route towards the mountains but he failed to do a radio check with the Cranbrook airport as is custom.

"The flight path he filed is what's being focused on," said Zair.

"But the weather is hindering and slowing things down, it's unflyable in certain areas."

Capt. Leah Gillespie said the Armed Forces are following up on reports from anyone why may have heard something on their scanners.

The air search continued until dark and Gillespie said they will pick back up early this morning operating out of a search command post set up in Cranbrook.

"The weather has made things difficult so hopefully it will clear up tomorrow (today)," she said.

METAR CYYC (Calgary) 241900Z 33020G28KT 7SM -RA BKN015 OVC027 09/08 A2994 RMK SC4SC4 SLP163=

METAR CYGE (Golden) 241900Z 30005KT 30SM SCT085 BKN100 17/06 A3000 RMK AC3AC4 SLP166=

METAR CYXC (Cranbrook) 241900Z 00000KT 25SM FEW020 FEW060 BKN090 BKN220 15/08 A2999 RMK SF1SC1AC3CI0 SLP164=

METAR CYLW (Kelowna)241900Z AUTO 02004KT 9SM CLR 20/06 A3003 RMK SLP170=

Weather gets better the further west you go, hopefully............

Airtids · Post by **Airtids** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:34 pm

Flying telemetry this am in the Purcells, and heard the SAREX folks picking up an ELT out near Turner Valley... Step in the right direction!

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:58 pm

They said on the news today that they heard an elt; but it turned out to be one being transported in a car that went off by accident.

shankdown · Post by **shankdown** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:48 pm

My thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Fransblow, his family, and his passenger. He's a man with a fine reputation, and although I've met him only a few occasions, I can honestly say that Buccaneer Bay would never be the same without him and his airplane. I'm sure all the cottagers will agree. Many of my childhood memories of that place, as well as my early interest in flying are attributed to Mr. Fransblow arriving and departing Buccaneer. Godspeed.

Shankdown

Ralliart · Post by **Ralliart** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 4:18 pm

Sad news, the aircraft has been located with no survivors. Condolences to the families.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national ... 50829.html

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 5:00 pm

Thanks Ralliart
Sad news indeed. This has been a bad summer to say the least.

WS739 · Post by **WS739** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 6:19 pm

Sadly, Ctv news reports the aircraft was spotter by CF Grumman Helicopter 50K SouthWest of YYC. Reports from the Grumman pilot said it had hit the mountain around 9000 feet and a post fire had completely burnt the aircraft.

On a side not i was flying in the Okanagan Valley and overheard that one of the search and resue helictopters had found some kind of piper aircraft that had been missing for years!

Prayers go out to the families of both crashes!

WS739

greenwich · Post by **greenwich** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:05 am

http://www.peakfinder.com/peakfinder.as ... ount+Burns

Super-sad!

That Kananaskis range has claimed a lot of lives over the years.

G