208 in hudson bay

[ruddersup?]

I remember a guy named Cooper.

!. Departed YAM northbound
2. Set autopilot
3. Set off ELT when/where he wanted it.
4. Put on parachute
5. Opened door and out he went.
6. Plane finally ran out of fuel.
7. Perfect disappearance

I appologize if this conjecture is inappropriate.

[Inverted2]

How could it possibly be a training flight with 1 person on board? I'm pretty sure it's not based out of YAM. Aren't training flights normally done where the aircraft is based out of anyway??

[vstrom]

.. Also, to get the range required to fly that far, the auto pilot would have had to have the TOC pretty much at the airplane's service ceiling. Would never have made it at 6000'..

Caravan holds 2400 lbs of fuel (full fuel).
Burns about 365 lbs/hr.
Thats 6.58 hours of flying at 140 kts gives 921 nm.

921nm NNW of Sault it would run outta gas and splash into the Bay.. right where they found it.

[bizjets101]

How could it possibly be a training flight with 1 person on board?

Believe the RCAF spokesperson called it a test flight, not training flight.

Morningstar GM stated it was an unscheduled flight.

Flightaware shows the aircraft departed Pearson 0900 and arrived YAM at 1038.

[Muck1973]

Granted this is just a rumour... but from what I've heard from people in YAM is that it was suicide. Apparently it was not a planned flight - he fuelled the plane, set the autopilot and just let it fly until it ran out of gas. No idea how much truth there is to this...

[Doc]

Morningstar GM stated it was an unscheduled flight.

An obvious master of the understatement!

[Sulako]

There is no conspiracy, nor medical emergency nor weather event nor catastrophic mechanical failure to be found here. The crash was not accidental.

That absolutely does not detract from the fact that people who love B are in agony right now, and my heart goes out to them.

I don't think this story is over yet, though.

[Cessna driver]

Granted this is just a rumour... but from what I've heard from people in YAM is that it was suicide. Apparently it was not a planned flight - he fuelled the plane, set the autopilot and just let it fly until it ran out of gas. No idea how much truth there is to this...

I've heard that as well. Sad story

[Doc]

There is no conspiracy, nor medical emergency nor weather event nor catastrophic mechanical failure to be found here. The crash was not accidental.

I don't think this story is over yet, though.

I believe you're correct. There is more to this than the obvious. In this case I believe the obvious to be not the case.

[flyinthebug]

Granted this is just a rumour... but from what I've heard from people in YAM is that it was suicide. Apparently it was not a planned flight - he fuelled the plane, set the autopilot and just let it fly until it ran out of gas. No idea how much truth there is to this...

I've heard that as well. Sad story

Add me to the list of people who were told this same story. As much as I want to deny it, I cant imagine what else could explain how he flew from YAM to the middle of Hudson Bay and crashed. With the ELT lit up all the way? He wanted to be found...or the plane at least. Sad sad day.

My most sincere condolences to the friends and family he left behind.

[phillyfan]

A guy lands gear up and he gets roasted. A guy destroys an airplane because he is sad and it's tragic?

[bverwegen]

Yes it is tragic for the pilot and their family. Landing gear up is a conscious decision, this seems to be a case of someone suffering emotionally in which case their decision was probably not well thought out.

[PositiveRate27]

Phillyfan,

Perhaps you have never suffered from chronic depression or ever had to deal with a friend or loved one who has suffered from it. I don't want to make assumptions about you or your experience on the subject, however, if you haven't had any previous experience, I can assure you first hand it is much more than simply "feeling sad."

If the rumors of a potential suicide are correct than this man either did not have access to the available support for his problems or he did not have the knowledge on how to attain it. It is very much a tragedy, and with the knowledge we as a society currently posses on this subject, it was an avoidable tragedy. I shudder to picture him approaching a friend or colleague and sharing with them how he is feeling, only to receive a response such as yours. "You're just sad, toughen up butter cup."


Often times people aren't even aware that what they are experiencing is not normal, and can be treated. The key is awareness and open communication about the problem. I encourage you, or anyone who would like a bit more information on the differences between "feeling sad" and "chronic depression" to have a gander at www.mindcheck.ca

Regards

PR

[godsrcrazy]

I agree any breakdown is not funny and this is truly a sad event. Glad to see this the tone of this topic is different then this one viewtopic.php?f=118&t=90552

[Doc]

I'm not buying suicide. If he wanted to kill himself he'd have stuffed it into Lake Superior five miles off shore. Nobody commits suicide by sitting waiting almost 6 hours for it to happen. My bet? He bailed. Somewhere between where the airplane ended up, and where it took off, there was a car parked. He could have been in the States before the airplane crashed. Park in long term parking at a major US airport. Head south. Sometimes, people just want out.
At least, I'd like to think a scenario like this a possibility.

[Bede]

Has the aircraft and body been recovered? It's pretty easy to tell in a wreckage if there was someone inside the cockpit.

[Doc]

Has the aircraft and body been recovered? It's pretty easy to tell in a wreckage if there was someone inside the cockpit.

Even easier to see an open door?
If it's in Hudson Bay, I doubt it would be feasible to recover it. Freeze up is almost there. It's deep. It's cold. The mystery will remain underwater.

[PilotDAR]

CS, You have too much information at your disposal!

Even easier to see an open door?

Having had it happen unintentionally, the rear left door of a Caravan is pretty easy to open in flight.

I know nothing more about this than what I read, but I also generally subscribe to the "truth is stranger than fiction" theory. I'm open to thinking of some skulduggery being possible, in the absence of more factual information. A Caravan in pieces at the bottom of Hudson's Bay will hold secrets much better than one crumpled in the trees, unless it burns.

Empathy for the family. Empathy for the pilot pending more information, but shame about the Caravan.....

[Colonel Sanders]

[Off topic
Bandaid

[Doc]

Off topic,
Bandaid

[Colonel Sanders]

Better suited to facebook
Bandaid.

[boeingboy]

Anyone know the name of the pilot?
Please stop asking for a name. I'm sure it will be out in the papers soon enough.
Bandaid

[I WAS Birddog]

.....he was a good kid.
Always had a smile for me.
Fun exchanges of 'conquests' on the ramp prior to loading the aircraft.
I Enjoyed working with him.
My heart goes out to his family. They didn't deserve this.

I just wish he...and many others had the tools and life skills to cope with lifes' stresses.
As far as conspiracies go...they are loaded with many open loops.
The fact remains is it didn't have to come to this despite the end result leaving a trail of questions and pain for those that knew him.

I wish him a good journey in this frequency or in the next.

iWbd

[TSB Tasker]

Hello,

I am the Transportation Safety Board Investigator-In-Charge of this accident.

If you have any information you believe is relevant to this occurrence please do not hesitate to contact me at ewan.tasker@tsb.gc.ca

Or, if you wish you can contact the TSB confidentially through SECURITAS. http://bst.gc.ca/eng/securitas/index.asp#a4

Thanks for your help,

Ewan Tasker.

[pdw]

I cant imagine what else could explain ....

Was hoping they checked ... or that more details would be forthcoming if the trip up from Toronto could have something to do with it ....

Anything is possible if there's: a stowaway (if the plane is loaded in a minimum security area) ... or hi-jack (threat of personal harm) ... then switching on the ELT is also done when the situation begins to become critical ...

Jumping into a conclusion is so easy sometimes ...