Aircraft crash in Tanzania

[contraxdog]

News24.com Reports:

Quote:
Arusha - Rescue workers on Tuesday found the bodies of four British tourists and their Canadian pilot who were killed in a plane crash. The aircraft had been missing since Sunday afternoon.

At least two bodies have been recovered from the remote crash site and police were helping in efforts to retrieve the remains near the Mahale National Park in western Tanzania, said police spokesperson Mohamed Mhina.

The Cessna C206 plane flew from the national park, on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika, on Sunday afternoon, "but contact was lost soon after takeoff and the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination", said Mark Holdsworth, managing director of the Nomad tourism company that arranged the tour.

Crash site difficult to access

Four aircraft were sent to search for the light plane and a crash site was identified from the air, he said.

"The site is remote and the terrain very rugged, making access on foot extremely difficult. A ground team finally reached the site at first light this morning and has confirmed that the plane crashed with no survivors," Holdsworth said.

A spokesperson of the British High Commission said an official statement will be released on Tuesday.

Officials in Canada's High Commission were not immediately available for comment.

Inspectors from the Tanzania civil aviation authority are on their way to the crash site to investigate the cause of the accident, Holdsworth said.

The tourists were flying to Katavi National Park, one of Africa's greatest remote wildlife sanctuaries. Katavi has greater density of game than most parks in Africa and yet it so remote that it receives less than 100 visitors a year. "

My condolences to all involved.

[Gunship]

More sad news.

Waiting for Bert but what can one say in the mean time other than RIP and I am sure the pilot did not have a death wish.

An accident is so sad - I wonder how many of you has been close - I mean CLOSE to an accident ?

Tomorrow "my crash" will be 4 years old. I still think about it DAILY ! About her that was lost and just the fact that we where so lucky to come out of it all.

After all a buring helicopter wit full fuel and two engines out speaks for itself ... :sad:

RIP :sad:

[Telstar]

Guys could you delete your posts, not everyone has been informed yet, I don't want them to find out this way.

[ShenziRubani]

The pilot was one my my very closest friends and my instructor at school. This is a shock to all of us that knew him. I do not want to comment any more on this but like in many accident, stay wondering what could have happened.

God speed Buddy!!

[4HolerPoler]

This thread will remain; no names will be posted until they are available in the media. Very sad news; our thoughts & condolences to the families & loved ones.

4HP

[helldog]

Very sad to hear the result, I heard of the plane going missing and being spotted, everyone was wishing for a happy ending.... but not to be.

Sorry about the loss of a close friend shenzi.

Condolenceces the fiends and family of the pilot and passengers.

:(

[Rhodie]

Very sad news and condolences to the families left behind.

Guns - if I may, I will raise a glass tomorrow in memory.

R

[Gunship]

Sorry to hear about your friend Shenzi ! :sad:

My thoughts and prayers are with you and his family this day.


~~~~~~~Off the Topic ~~~~~~~~

tx for the thought Rhodie - appreciated :ok:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1609737.stm

[ShenziRubani]

Thanks guys, we've got more info by now, but we will still wait a little bit more before going into details.

Prayers to the families too. Despite many questions, everyone seems to be holding on.

----------off topics-------
Guns, sorry about the news tregarding the British major. Very sad too.

[-IBLB-]

I just found out about it, the pilot was a personal friend of mine. A tragic accident indeed, for someone who loved flying.

May you fly in peace now

God speed my friend.

[ShenziRubani]

IBLB, Ivar, is that you my friend?

[cavortingcheetah]

This from today's London Times.

Safari air deaths

Four British tourists, three women and a man, died with a Canadian pilot when their five-seater aircraft crashed in a remote region of Mahale National Park in Tanzania, East Africa. They were on a safari sightseeing flight from Lake Tanganyika and are thought to have been staying at Greystoke Camp.


:sad:

And further from The Telegraph.

Safari plane crash kills four Britons
By Mike Pflanz in Nairobi
(Filed: 19/10/2005)

Four Britons on a safari holiday were killed when their five-seater Cessna plane crashed in a remote area of west Tanzania close to Mahale National Park.



The Foreign Office confirmed yesterday that the three women and one man, on a holiday booked through the tour operator Nomad, died along with their Canadian pilot.

It was understood that the plane had been missing since Sunday afternoon, when it took off from Mahale bound for Katavi National Park.

The bodies were recovered yesterday from the wreckage of the light aircraft after search parties in four planes spent Monday combing the remote mountains between Mahale and Katavi National Parks, near Lake Tanganyika, before the crash site was found. It then took a ground team until early yesterday to reach the site on foot.

The two parks are famed for their families of chimpanzees and forested peaks soaring to 7,500ft above Lake Tanganyika. The areas are so remote there are no paved roads and all visitors and supplies have to be flown in.

Despite covering almost 1,000 square miles, Mahale National Park receives fewer than 100 visitors a year.

It is thought that the Britons had been staying at the Greystoke camp, a luxurious tented complex on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika below a tropical forest and the Mahale Mountains.

Nomad said Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority inspectors were on their way to the area.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those involved. We will release further information as and when it becomes available," said a spokesman for the company.

A Foreign Office spokesman said consular staff were awaiting confirmation of the deaths.

Mark Holdsworth, managing director of Nomad, said the Cessna had taken off from the Mahale airstrip on Sunday afternoon.

"Contact was lost soon after take-off and the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination," he said. "A search was instigated using four aircraft and a crash site was identified."





:sad:

[captmav]

A true loss of one of the most genuine people I have ever shared time with, I'm still in stunned silence.

My thoughts and sympathies go out to all involved.

God speed buddy....

[goonaboy]

Any one with more info plz PM me, Serge, can you let me know plz. Those of you who dont know me, I flew for Nomads last year so would appreciate any help
Deepest sympathy for the families

GB

[Telstar]

Goonaboy, Contact me by PM.

I will write a few words about the Pilot, my friend, with some nice pictures of Happier times when names have been made Public.

[flyhardmo]

The pilot was a very good friend of mine and its such a shock that this accident happened. Everyone here in this small community is pretty cut up. I just want to let everyone know how genuine this guy was, a heart the size of a house, great sense of humour and a good sense of advenure. he came out here to do what he loved most which is bush flying and we will sadly miss him. Always remember the good times. i hope he has as much fun in the next life as he did in this one..
May God rest your soul buddy :(
My condolences to the family of the pilot and to the family of the passengers.

[ShenziRubani]

Thanks Mo, great words, good to read them. I was talking to him last week and he was really happy to be in Africa, he loved the flying and the people he had met, all you guys in Arusha and in the bush.
Everyone is in shock on this side of the Atlantic and in Europe as you can imagine, Lorne had a lot of friends, had instructed to many and had become a friend to most of his students and more.

Telstar, did we fly to the NBAA in Orlando the 3 of us, a few years back? PM me.

Chris.

[felloffanisland]

The pilot was, and will always remain, one of my closest personal friends. Unfortunately in these situations, there exists no amount of words that can explain what he meant to those who knew him well and the way he influenced and affected our lives.

He leaves us while doing what he loved the most, pursuing his dream, and living life to the very fullest. This is how I will remember him and this is how he would want us to remember him.

My thoughts go out to the familes of all those involved, that they may find some comfort in the fact that their loved ones are in the very best of company.

[Telstar]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/4357294.stm

Shenzi no, but I'll be speaking to you on MSN tonight.

[ShenziRubani]

Talk to you in a few Telstar.

Fellofanisland, great words, I got your email.

[Swedevan]

I am, as everybody, stunned. I will miss u my friend, but I will never forget u.:sad:

/Chris

[Telstar]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/20/wsaf20.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/20/ixworld.html

Tycoon dies with family in Tanzania safari plane crash
By Caroline Davies
(Filed: 20/10/2005)

A british multi-millionaire, his family and a "highly talented" pilot who flew with the polar explorer David Hempleman-Adams on his epic Cape-to-Cape challenge were all killed when their Cessna crashed in Tanzania, it emerged yesterday.

Alan Williams, 59, his wife Sue, sister-in-law Jill Williams and family friend Debbie Winn died when the five-seat plane crashed on Sunday close to the western Mahale National Park.


Alan Williams: Died in the crash in Tanzania
Mr Williams, from Blawith, Cumbria, the founder of one of Britain's largest scented candle manufacturers, was flying with his companions to Katavi National Park, a largely inaccessible reserve.

The pilot, Lorne White, 28, from Montreal, had taught Mr Hempleman-Adams to fly fixed-wing aircraft and was his co-pilot during their record-breaking 12-day flight from Cape Columbia in north Canada to Cape Horn last year. He was described by Mr Hempleman-Adams as "a brilliant, talented pilot - a natural stick and rudder pilot who was born to it".

The holidaymakers had been staying at the exclusive Greystoke camp, a luxurious tented complex on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Yesterday police officers, park rangers and villagers were still searching for the plane wreckage. Although the charred remains of two of the victims have been recovered, the crash site had not yet been found, said Boniface Mgogolwa, the commander of Kigoma Regional Police.

"No one knows how the plane crashed. The main problems facing the operation is the lack of communications. It is a national park, full of dense forests and hills".

Mr and Mrs Williams founded Colony Candles Company, which is based in Lindal-in-Furness, in their garage 25 years ago. Today is it part of Blyth Homescents International and has a turnover of £20 million.


Sue Williams died just before her 60th birthday
Mr Williams's wife, who would have celebrated her 60th birthday yesterday, and her sister also held senior positions in the company until 2001 when it was sold to Blythe, a US corporation.

Louise McMahon, Colony Candles's general manager, said: "I have worked with the Williams family for 20 years and Colony would not have existed without their entrepreneurial spirit.

"They were an inspiration to work with and I owe my career success to them. I am shocked and stunned that their lives have been taken in this terrible tragedy." A statement from the company staff said: "We are still in deep shock and can't believe or comprehend what has happened. We have fond memories of working with Alan, Sue and Jill and are grateful to them for giving us the opportunity to be part of a successful team."

Mr Hempleman-Adams said Mr White had been "like a brother" to him.

They met when Mr Hempleman-Adams attended a Florida flying school and Mr White was his instructor.

The pair spent three-months together in Canada working on Mr Hempleman-Adams's record-breaking transatlantic balloon flight in 2003. "Sharing breakfast, lunch, dinner, we got to know each other exceptionally well," he said.

Later Mr White became his co-pilot on the Cape-to-Cape challenge. "It's a tragic shock," said the explorer. "He was so young. He had achieved a lot. He was extremely bright, he could have gone into anything.

"He did a postgraduate in business studies and was chosen by the Prime Minister's Office in Canada for an internship.

"But he found his calling. He didn't want to go into business. He just loved flying.

"He was a Gold Star instructor and a fully trained commercial pilot. But he just didn't want to go into flying big jumbo jets. He wanted to see the world, he had a passion for adventure and travel and he was very pleased to be a pilot getting paid for something he absolutely adored.

"Tragedy is a term people often use loosely, but in this case it is truly a tragedy."

[pby5a]

Lorne was a good friend of mine, knew him for a year in Florida, when instructing. We always kept in touch and I even tried to go to Africa with him. I wish I could have. I am truly heartbroken, I remember the good times we had and will surely miss him alot. He was indeed one with great sense of humour and a heart of gold.

My thoughts go out for the family and his many friends.


One

[Yabon]

To all,

I'm just back from HTML...just seeing your posts.
Still under shock...still can't believe it...still waiting for a miracle...But i' have to admit I'm just starting to realize that i won't see him again...

The least i can do, for now is to answer the best as possible questions from his close friends. Please PM me whenever you want.

To you my fellow pilot & friend...I'll miss you...

All my thoughts to his & passengers family.

[Telstar]

Lorne Edward White

http://www.legacy.com/Images/Cobrands/CAN-Montreal/Photos/000280261_20051020_1.jpg

OBITUARY LORNE EDWARD WHITE Passed away suddenly in a tragic accident in Tanzania on October 16, 2005 at age twenty-nine. Beloved youngest son of Nancy and Terry, dear brother of Darryl (Cassandra) and uncle to Nolan. Grandson of Nancy Taylor, and predeceased by grandparents Kathleen and Lorne White and Edward Fordham. Nephew of predeceased uncle Lorne. Cherished cousin, uncle and nephew to members of the extended White family, the Dubees, the Gunnings and the Roses. If a life is measured by the quality and breadth of relationships, by incredible acts of kindness, by passionate pursuit of ideas and dreams and by profound positive influence on others, then Lorne lived countless lives in his too short time with us. A service to celebrate his life will be held at the Loyola College Chapel, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, on Saturday October 22nd at 2 p.m. Reception to follow at Loyola High School. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lorne's memory can be made to the Lorne White Memorial Bursary, c/o Loyola High School Foundation, 7272 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, H4B 1R2.
Published in the Montreal Gazette on 10/20/2005.

http://www.legacy.com/can-montreal/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=15441169

[khenrico]

Hi

Lorne and I had known each all of our lives. Last time I saw him was the day before he left for Tanzania where he returned all of the stuff of mine he had collected over the years. He meant alot to myself and hundreds of others he knew. I am not a pilot but I was for one summer day in 2003 when Lorne gave me the greatest gift in the world, a lesson. He let me take off and land and before he died he still swore that the only help he gave me was keeping the nose wheel straight at full throttle.

He is the only flying instructor I've had to date but I can see how he inspired so many to fly. Miss him so much.

I've registered lornewhite.ca and should have something posted soon for anyone interested.

Take care

KH:ok:

[Willie Everlearn]

Has anyone heard anything further on what happened?
CAT?
Windshear?
Rebel SLR?
CFIT?
Icing?
Mid-Air Bird Strike???
How does a 206 breakup like this?
Another thing, who's investigating and do they have a site similar to the NTSB or CTSB?

:confused:

[ShenziRubani]

Willie Everlearn, rebel SLR?? Where do you get that one from? There are no rebels in Tanzania.
CFIT? I don't know any pilot, especially Lorne, who would fly into a mountain in broad daylight in perfectly clear weather.
Icing not an issue at the altitude and place where he was he was.
Mid-air big bird strike is a very strong suspect.
structural breakup... it's a plane, you never know.

The TCAA, equivalent of the FAA, is investigating, and I don't know, due to the citizenships of Lorne and his passenger if the CTSB and the British CAA are also involved. On the previous fatal crashes that I have been involved with in TZ, the NTSB got involved because the plane was a Cessna and the passengers US citizens.

Who are you btw, you registered today. Are you a close friend of Lorne or a journalist? My apologies for being over-suspicious of lurkers but he was a very close friend.