Another Canadian floatplane crash, 4th in a month

[futurama]

By my count this is the fourth floatplane crash in Canada in the past month. At least three involved charter ops.


4 dead, 5 in hospital after floatplane crash north of Vancouver Island

CBC News -- Four people are dead and five are in hospital after a floatplane crashed Friday off the central coast of B.C.

The Cessna 208 crashed just after 11 a.m. PT on Addenbroke Island, about 100 kilometres north of Port Hardy, B.C., on Vancouver Island. The five survivors were flown by helicopter to hospital in Port Hardy, according to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.

Two are in critical condition, the other three are in serious but stable condition, according to B.C. Emergency Health Services.

The charter plane had been en route to Calvert Island, a few kilometres west of Addenbroke Island. The plane's departure point is not known.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/plane-crash-port-hardy-1.5227326

[BluSdUp]

I have great respect for Fellow Aviators on floats.
Did some hundred hrs in 1992 in a C185.
Was it during take off or landing or enroute?

Regards
Cpt B

[Pilot DAR]

By my count this is the fourth floatplane crash in Canada

I think it's worse than that, I can count 9, plus at least 5 landplanes too in the last month. Thankfully, not all fatal, but still too many. It's been an unusual summer for the number of accidents in Canada.

[cholos]

Any word on causes yet?

[hr2pilot]

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/780x439/1a2f1e65_1b3c_4131_bada_4251f7de3a34_a2865e27d014cb7ed271900 6e8ccf3705ec835c4.jpeg
Crash site

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/780x583/8cff2075_e423_490d_a09f_75af6ace63c7_7ff8ab16c3046f48d270192 4d17281a7012daaaa.jpeg
Weather at destination one hour after accident occurred.

[hr2pilot]

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/962x843/route_14618e70a92ef524344ad38d4e1f2196c6de42ed.png

Direct route plotted Port Hardy to Hakai Institute on Calvert Island and location of accident on Addenbroke Island.

[studentpil0t]

I think it's overdue but Transport Canada need to revise their regulations & emphasize the importance of Instrument flying. All these VFR pilots are liabilities.

[Pilot DAR]

All these VFR pilots are liabilities.

While flying in an environment where suitable airways and instrument approaches are not available?

[Old Dogs]

I think it's overdue but Transport Canada need to revise their regulations & emphasize the importance of Instrument flying. All these VFR pilots are liabilities.

Young man/woman, your lack of knowledge about Canadian aviation is impressive.

[4runner]

While flying in an environment where suitable airways and instrument approaches are not available?

i think they mean that pilots without IFR capability are liabilities. Non instrument rated pilots getting into IMC.

[DelusionsOfCurrency]

I fly in Seair Caravans (and Beavers) all the time as a passenger - have done for years. They are a great company. I'm a low time PPL so I often sit up front to see what I can learn from the pilots. These guys are total professionals, and highly experienced (36,000 hours in one case, although sorry, all as a VFR liability!). The photo above looks like very typical west coast conditions, and most of the Caravans have glass cockpit, terrain warning, collision avoidance etc. There are survivors with evidence to give, so let's not jump to conclusions about cause or pilot skills.

[studentpil0t]

While flying in an environment where suitable airways and instrument approaches are not available?

Because they teach you how to fly on airways and how to shoot approaches (with and without all your instruments) while simulating IMC during your PPL>CPL training right? :ok:

[studentpil0t]

Young man/woman, your lack of knowledge about Canadian aviation is impressive.
and you’ve determined this just by a statement I’ve made questioning the depth of IFR training in Canada in comparison to say FAA IFR training? (where I got my tickets) Your sense is far from common

[Pilot DAR]

Because they teach you how to fly on airways and how to shoot approaches (with and without all your instruments) while simulating IMC during your PPL>CPL training right?

Yes, these skills are taught at the CPL level in Canada. Though I cannot speak for the pilot and operation involved in this sad situation, I would be confident that the pilot had instrument flying skills appropriate to airways and approaches, though those skills really don't help much flying floats to the water in a fjord environment. Allowing yourself to become IMC in that environment is the last thing you want to do at the altitudes associated with an approach to the water. You're more safe down in VMC, where you can see where you're going, if the ceiling gets low, and you could become trapped, landing on the water and waiting will be more safe that entering cloud, surrounded by mountains, with no safe way to navigate among them. When the MEA is many thousands of feet above where you must operate, entering IMC is downright dangerous!

[a330pilotcanada]

Good Morning All:

Although this is getting off topic especially for the gratuitous comments from student pilot. I will only comment on his statements regarding training standards between the FAA and Transport Canada. Disclaimer I have held licences in both the USA and Canada 23,000 hours and endorsed on three heavy aircraft. In my thinking the training in Canada is far more rigorous than the FAA. For example when I was endorsed in the USA I had my commercial multi-engine and on completion of my instrument endorsement I was now allowed to do a 200 1/2 on a ILS. On arriving back in Canada I was surprised to find out IFR was divided into Class 1 Class 2 on either single engine or multi engine. In Canada emphasis on training was for non-precision approaches and at the time of my training in the US even my instructors had difficulty with ADF approaches.

Float plane flying to be is a art form and watching those who fly in the environment is a real treat for me. Seeing the accidents that are mentioned reminds me how succinct the line is in being alive or dead but I digress

[Spooky 2]

This USA vs. Canadian really gets old. Give it a rest. None of us knows what caused this accident, and while flying floats is a unique and special talent it does not relieve one from the most basic requiremeents. FWIW, the legacy airline I worked for had a minimum RVR 4000 for letting the F/O shoot an approach and I don't think it did much to enhance the safety. Pilots have struggled with ADF approaches since the Wright Brothers:)
ATP MES, COMM SES

[er340790]

Allowing yourself to become IMC in that environment is the last thing you want to do at the altitudes associated with an approach to the water. You're more safe down in VMC, where you can see where you're going, if the ceiling gets low, and you could become trapped, landing on the water and waiting will be more safe that entering cloud, surrounded by mountains, with no safe way to navigate among them. When the MEA is many thousands of feet above where you must operate, entering IMC is downright dangerous!

:D :D :D

Wot he said!

ASES

[BluSdUp]

Student pilot!

I am willing to bet this had nothing to do with IFR rated or not or initial basic Canadien Commercial Training.
And if so ,You Mr Studentpilot are privy to information unknown to us or TC for that mater.

With regards to Canadian standards I can tell You that as a holder of a Norwegian, Irish and FAA ATPL and a UK and Italian ATPL Validation , Canada is second to non.

Regards CptB
TC CPL MIFR Instructor Class2 expired.

[a330pilotcanada]

For student pilot I will defer to BluSdUp as he has more ratings than my American CPL ME Instrument as I only have a Canadian ATPL L-1011 B-767 A-330 ME land sea etc. He will be able to add more on the differences that you have talked about

[futurama]

Another floatplane crash this afternoon, off BC's Sunshine Coast:

https://globalnews.ca/news/5703833/seaplane-crashe-sechelt/

three onboard were rescued by a nearby tugboat before the plane sunk.

[Old Dogs]

Because they teach you how to fly on airways and how to shoot approaches (with and without all your instruments) while simulating IMC during your PPL>CPL training right? :ok:

Young man, VFR flying is VERY different from IFR flying especially in an area with NO airways and NO instrument approaches.

In fact, going unplanned IFR in these coastal mountain conditions will only get you in trouble.

But I've only got 22K flying VFR and IFR, fixed wing and helicopter, on four continents so what the hell would I know. 🙄

[Old Dogs]

Because they teach you how to fly on airways and how to shoot approaches (with and without all your instruments) while simulating IMC during your PPL>CPL training right? :ok:

I was a Chief Pilot for many years.

Let me give you a bit of friendly advice, boy.

Arrogance and ignorance are not considered "desirable attributes" in aircrew.

[Pilot DAR]

Arrogance and ignorance are not considered "desirable attributes" in aircrew.

Very yes. I've learned (sometimes the embarrassing or hard way) that you'll come out looking less arrogant or ignorant if you remain silent, or quietly ask, but not assert, unless you've a few thousand hours flying in exactly those circumstances. The term "pilot" describes such a broad set of skills and operating environment, that I'm convinced no one person could claim to be experienced as a "pilot". Certainly a person could be an experienced X or Y pilot, though probably if they have reached that experience level, they no longer assert, and don't present as being arrogant anyway.

As for float flying, like ski flying, there's a lot more "apply your hard earned skills to evaluate and make a plan in the moment", and a lot less "flying the filed route, with vectors to the ILS". In terms of use of instruments while float flying, for me it'll be something like: Airspeed - yeah, every now and then, but hardly to admire a fast cruise speed!, artificial horizon - nope, if I need that to fly onward, it is very unlikely that I can safely approach to land anyway, don't be tempted to press on. Altimeter, not really, I can see that I'm high enough, Turn coordinator, maybe a little, ball for sure! DG/compass, yeah, probably, so I go the right way, VSI, only for glassy water landings. Clock - yes!

"Bush" (water/ski/some helicopter) flying is very different to "airways" flying. The helicopter I flew from Alaska to Vancouver many years ago did not have an artificial horizon at all. This made the VFR flying much safer, as you were not at all tempted to creep up into cloud! You were automatically disciplined to remain actual VMC, no funny business/home made IFR. Instrument flying is very valuable - but not for bush flying!

[DelusionsOfCurrency]

...The helicopter I flew from Alaska to Vancouver many years ago did not have an artificial horizon at all. This made the VFR flying much safer, as you were not at all tempted to creep up into cloud! You were automatically disciplined to remain actual VMC, no funny business/home made IFR.

Perhaps the same could be said of not having an instrument rating. This effect is sometimes called the Risk Compensation Hypothesis, at least in road safety.

[Old Dogs]

Very yes. I've learned (sometimes the embarrassing or hard way) that you'll come out looking less arrogant or ignorant if you remain silent, or quietly ask, but not assert, unless you've a few thousand hours flying in exactly those circumstances. The term "pilot" describes such a broad set of skills and operating environment, that I'm convinced no one person could claim to be experienced as a "pilot". Certainly a person could be an experienced X or Y pilot, though probably if they have reached that experience level, they no longer assert, and don't present as being arrogant anyway.

As for float flying, like ski flying, there's a lot more "apply your hard earned skills to evaluate and make a plan in the moment", and a lot less "flying the filed route, with vectors to the ILS". In terms of use of instruments while float flying, for me it'll be something like: Airspeed - yeah, every now and then, but hardly to admire a fast cruise speed!, artificial horizon - nope, if I need that to fly onward, it is very unlikely that I can safely approach to land anyway, don't be tempted to press on. Altimeter, not really, I can see that I'm high enough, Turn coordinator, maybe a little, ball for sure! DG/compass, yeah, probably, so I go the right way, VSI, only for glassy water landings. Clock - yes!

"Bush" (water/ski/some helicopter) flying is very different to "airways" flying. The helicopter I flew from Alaska to Vancouver many years ago did not have an artificial horizon at all. This made the VFR flying much safer, as you were not at all tempted to creep up into cloud! You were automatically disciplined to remain actual VMC, no funny business/home made IFR. Instrument flying is very valuable - but not for bush flying!

Spoken by a man who obviously has LOTS of experience.

Thank you, DAR 😁

[Burleigh Effect]

​​​​https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/227913

[ve3id]

1 dead, 6 rescued after float plane crash near Algonquin Park
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/central-ontario-algonquin-park-dead-1.5238206?cmp=newsletter-news-digests-toronto

[BluSdUp]

Another one down.
A C185 on floats, my old type.
Correct me if I am wrong, but, 7 occupants , is that not a tad crowded?

Sad , anyhow.
Regards
Cpt B

[Pilot DAR]

I've known the family for many years. The pilot's wife was amazingly strong and heroic following the accident, and deserves incredible credit. For anyone so inclined, there is a Go Fund Me page for her, and their kids. I have contributed:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/hero-dad-amp-husband-saves-family-in-plane-crash/

[BluSdUp]

I feel a bit ashamed in questioning the number of occupants in this devastating family tragedy.
A snug and good fit with the kids in the back, not big US tourists that I used to fly in my C185 at Stewart Lake Airways.

I dont know what to say.
It was good that all the Kids and Wife made it.

Condolences
Cpt B

[evansb]

Here is another one, a Cessna 206 in the trees near Shawinigan, Quebec:

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/201908/22/01-5238329-un-hydravion-secrase-a-shawinigan.php