‘A treat to take the kids flying’: Man, three young boys die in Manitoba plane crash
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‘A treat to take the kids flying’: Man, three young boys die in Manitoba plane crash
Transportation Safety Board of Canada deploys a team of investigators to Cessna 210 accident in Waskada, Manitoba
Gatineau, Quebec, 11 February 2013 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to the site of an accident involving a Cessna 210 in Waskada, Manitoba. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
(see pic attached)
NATIONAL POST
Canadian Press | Feb 11, 2013 6:20 PM ET
‘A treat to take the kids flying’: Man, three young boys die in Manitoba plane crash
Darren Spence was a dedicated dad who built his two young sons their own dirt-bike racing track, drove them to hockey practice and, on some weekends, took them up in the air for a ride.
The experienced crop dusting pilot from Waskada, Man., owned a couple of work planes as well as a six-seater Cessna 210, which crashed near the small town on Sunday.
Friends confirmed Monday that Spence, 37, died in the crash along with his sons, who were 9 and 10, and a nine-year old family friend.
“After a weekend, it was a treat to take the kids flying and they would just go and look over the countryside,” said close pal Terry Linto.
they would just go and look over the countryside
“The kids loved it.”
Investigators said the single-engine plane left a private airstrip near Waskada on Sunday afternoon and headed 110 kilometres northeast to Brandon.
The plane’s emergency beacon went off and a military search-and-rescue plane from Winnipeg found the wreckage in a field about five kilometres from the same airstrip. A rescue crew parachuted down to the crash site. Everyone on board was dead.
Peter Hildebrand, regional manager for the Transportation Safety Board, said it wasn’t yet clear why the plane crashed.
The aircraft was so severely damaged that investigators couldn’t determine if its landing gear was down, he said.
Investigators were looking into both the mechanics of the plane and the weather. Hildebrand said there were low clouds, some fog and snow.
He said investigators were expected to be at the site again Tuesday.
There’s no question. It’s not pilot error. It’s got to be mechanical
“There’s no question. It’s not pilot error. It’s got to be mechanical,” said Linto, who stressed that his friend always put safety first.
He said Spence grew up flying with his family. His father, Edward, was a spray pilot for about 50 years.
The elder Spence recently had a stroke, said Linto, and relatives are worried that the death of his only son and two grandsons will worsen his health.
Linto said Spence’s passion for flying was matched by his love for his children. He said the single dad raised his boys, Gage and Logan, and also had a young daughter at home.
“You wouldn’t have found a better father and more giving person than Darren.”
Linto said Spence had a quirky sense of humour and a signature smile. He would often fly from his rural property and land at Linto’s farm near Brandon. They’d sit and chat about crops, kids and work.
Spence also had a gravel, sand and construction business. Linto works as a truck driver.
Linto’s youngest boy, 18-year old Ryan, said the two families often hung out. He got Gage and Logan hooked on dirt bikes. And Spence convinced him that he wanted to be a pilot.
“I’ve always wanted to fly, ever since I met him. He made it look so fun … he was supposed to come and take me up in the last couple weeks,” the teen said, bursting into tears.
Waskada Mayor Gary Williams said people in the town of about 200 are devastated. Everyone knew Spence. All three boys were students at the local school.
“It is just about the worst news you could ever imagine,” said Williams. “They are people from our community and it is just a real tragedy. It is devastating.”
He said residents will do what they can to help everyone cope with the crash. Counsellors were also brought into the school to help students deal with the deaths of their young friends.
“It is a small school and to lose three students is a shock.”
David Spence, three young boys die in Waskada, Manitoba plane crash | Canada | News | National Post
Gatineau, Quebec, 11 February 2013 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to the site of an accident involving a Cessna 210 in Waskada, Manitoba. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
(see pic attached)
NATIONAL POST
Canadian Press | Feb 11, 2013 6:20 PM ET
‘A treat to take the kids flying’: Man, three young boys die in Manitoba plane crash
Darren Spence was a dedicated dad who built his two young sons their own dirt-bike racing track, drove them to hockey practice and, on some weekends, took them up in the air for a ride.
The experienced crop dusting pilot from Waskada, Man., owned a couple of work planes as well as a six-seater Cessna 210, which crashed near the small town on Sunday.
Friends confirmed Monday that Spence, 37, died in the crash along with his sons, who were 9 and 10, and a nine-year old family friend.
“After a weekend, it was a treat to take the kids flying and they would just go and look over the countryside,” said close pal Terry Linto.
they would just go and look over the countryside
“The kids loved it.”
Investigators said the single-engine plane left a private airstrip near Waskada on Sunday afternoon and headed 110 kilometres northeast to Brandon.
The plane’s emergency beacon went off and a military search-and-rescue plane from Winnipeg found the wreckage in a field about five kilometres from the same airstrip. A rescue crew parachuted down to the crash site. Everyone on board was dead.
Peter Hildebrand, regional manager for the Transportation Safety Board, said it wasn’t yet clear why the plane crashed.
The aircraft was so severely damaged that investigators couldn’t determine if its landing gear was down, he said.
Investigators were looking into both the mechanics of the plane and the weather. Hildebrand said there were low clouds, some fog and snow.
He said investigators were expected to be at the site again Tuesday.
There’s no question. It’s not pilot error. It’s got to be mechanical
“There’s no question. It’s not pilot error. It’s got to be mechanical,” said Linto, who stressed that his friend always put safety first.
He said Spence grew up flying with his family. His father, Edward, was a spray pilot for about 50 years.
The elder Spence recently had a stroke, said Linto, and relatives are worried that the death of his only son and two grandsons will worsen his health.
Linto said Spence’s passion for flying was matched by his love for his children. He said the single dad raised his boys, Gage and Logan, and also had a young daughter at home.
“You wouldn’t have found a better father and more giving person than Darren.”
Linto said Spence had a quirky sense of humour and a signature smile. He would often fly from his rural property and land at Linto’s farm near Brandon. They’d sit and chat about crops, kids and work.
Spence also had a gravel, sand and construction business. Linto works as a truck driver.
Linto’s youngest boy, 18-year old Ryan, said the two families often hung out. He got Gage and Logan hooked on dirt bikes. And Spence convinced him that he wanted to be a pilot.
“I’ve always wanted to fly, ever since I met him. He made it look so fun … he was supposed to come and take me up in the last couple weeks,” the teen said, bursting into tears.
Waskada Mayor Gary Williams said people in the town of about 200 are devastated. Everyone knew Spence. All three boys were students at the local school.
“It is just about the worst news you could ever imagine,” said Williams. “They are people from our community and it is just a real tragedy. It is devastating.”
He said residents will do what they can to help everyone cope with the crash. Counsellors were also brought into the school to help students deal with the deaths of their young friends.
“It is a small school and to lose three students is a shock.”
David Spence, three young boys die in Waskada, Manitoba plane crash | Canada | News | National Post
