Investigation finds boat wake contributed to floatplane crash in Tofino, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has completed its investigation into a floatplane crash that seriously injured one passenger in Tofino, B.C., last year.
The crash occurred on July 26, 2021, when an Atleo River Air Services Ltd. seaplane was taking off from Tofino to its destination of Hot Springs Cove, B.C.
One pilot and four passengers were on board when the aircraft lost control and "cartwheeled," landing upside down in shallow water beside a sandbar.
(Lacey Adams)
At the time, CTV News was told that everyone on board escaped the crash with only minor injuries and that they were able to walk out of the plane on their own.
However, the TSB's report released Thursday says one passenger received serious injuries in the crash.
SLOW TAKEOFF
The TSB says a wake generated by a passing boat contributed to the crash.
When the plane was accelerating for takeoff, it encountered the wake, which slowed its acceleration.
In an effort to increase acceleration, the pilot turned to the right away from the wake to gain additional runway before takeoff.
As the plane was turning right, however, the aircraft lifted from the water – either because of control input or because the plane encountered a second wake which sent it airborne, according to the TSB.
"As the aircraft became airborne at a low airspeed and in a right turn, the left wing stalled aerodynamically at too low an altitude for control to be regained before the wing contacted the water," reads the report.
BEST PRACTICES
The Transportation Safety Board also identified other practices that may have increased flight risks.
The TSB says pilots should be careful when estimating passenger weights, since underestimating the weight – including clothing and carryon luggage – can affect flight safety.
The plane had also undergone six previous modifications that affected the original aircraft's stall speeds.
The TSB says all pilots should be aware of what modifications are made to a plane, since "there is a risk that the aircraft will have unexpected flight characteristics, increasing the possibility for loss of control."
Moving forward, Atleo River Air Service Ltd has increased the time in between flights by another 15 minutes to help give pilots more time to finish their pre-flight duties, according to the TSB.
No other safety actions were listed in the TSB report.
The Transportation Safety Board is an independent organization that investigates air, marine, rail and pipeline incidents in Canada.
The TSB is only responsible for reviewing and improving transportation safety and is not tasked with assigning fault or determining liability.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.