Investigators continue to probe a helicopter crash in Campbell River that claimed the life of a pilot on Tuesday.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada sent a team of investigators to the crash site near Spit Road on Tuesday night and they will continue to work until the end of the day to determine the next steps in the investigation.
“There are a lot of elements in any investigation especially during the information-gathering portion,” said TSB spokesperson Kevin McCaughey.
Investigators could be seen closely examining and removing parts from the Bell 206 helicopter on Wednesday afternoon. Flowers were placed beside the scene of the crash as crews were working.
“We examine the wreck, the surrounding area, data from air traffic control, witnesses, information from radar and we will also be interviewing company officials as well,” McCaughey said.
Ed Wilcock, the owner of E&B Helicopters, was the sole person on the helicopter when it crashed at about 11:25 a.m.
Wilcock was well known and had decades of flying experience on Vancouver Island. A former co-owner of E&B Helicopters remembered his friend and partner as “very focused and very driven.”
“Anybody in the community already knows him," Alder told CTV News on Tuesday. "He's done a lot for this community. He's going to be missed, big time."
Campbell River search and rescue manager Grant Cormer said the crash was the worst case scenario.
“Not a good day for a lot of people in Campbell River,” said Cormer. “Ed is a big community supporter and does a lot of community events.”
He added E&B Helicopters is a cornerstone of aviation.
“Ed was always at work, a hard worker, ran a tight ship,” said Cormer. “Anybody who flew a helicopter probably anywhere on Vancouver Island knew Ed.”
McCaughey said it is still early in the investigation and could not provide any further details about why the helicopter crashed.
A witness at the scene of the crash told CTV News on Tuesday that he watched the Bell 206 helicopter sputtering before it crashed.
"It was weird because it went sideways,” said resident Camble Quatell. “He was cutting real hard like he knew there was something wrong when he was spinning around. The blades were slowing down and… he was coming down real fast and he hit.”
An employee at E&B Helicopters told CTV News on Wednesday the company was not ready to comment on the incident.
Wilcock was given a lifetime-achievement-in-safety award by the BC Forest Safety Council in 2017, citing his "understanding and appreciation of workers' safety in the forestry industry."
McCaughey said over the next few days investigators will work to determine a classification for the crash and an update from TSB is expected within a week.
