Airplane wasn't safe for flight, board concludes 10 people killed after air taxi plunged into water
Note: For those that are interested in this sad tale, the only thing that this article omits is the fact that these 8 guys (minus pilot + girlfriend), were returning from a couple of days of pheasant hunting.
Apr. 12, 2006. 01:00 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...le&cid=1144793429552&call_pageid=968332188492
The plane was grossly overweight, its wings were iced and its pilot was tired.
That mix led directly to the deaths of 10 people on Jan. 17, 2004, when a Georgian Express Ltd. Cessna 208B Caravan lifted off Pelee Island, only to stall in freezing rain and crash into Lake Erie, according to a Transportation Safety Board of Canada report released yesterday.
"The aircraft was being flown significantly outside the limitations under which it was certified for safe flight," the board found. "The pilot's lack of appreciation for the known hazards associated with the overweight conditions of the aircraft, ice contamination and the weather conditions were inconsistent with his previous practices.
"His decision to take off was likely adversely affected by some combination of stress and fatigue."
The wreckage of the plane was found with its fuselage intact in about seven metres of water after a 12-day search hampered by poor weather conditions.
While many of the safety recommendations following the accident have been acted upon, the board said it's worried Transport Canada is dragging its feet on one issue: the weight of passengers.
This particular flight was 1,270 pounds overweight as measured using the actual weight of the passengers. Even using industry standards, which at the time were 188 pounds for men and 141 pounds for women, the plane was 703 pounds overweight.
"The use of actual passenger weights in small aircraft would provide a greater margin of safety," the report said.
Early in its probe, the board recommended that air taxis like Georgian Express that carry nine or fewer passengers should use the actual weight of passengers "to reflect current realities."
Transport Canada's response has been to study the issue. It released a statement yesterday saying it was "finalizing a risk assessment for the use of actual passenger weights for air taxi operations."
But that failed to satisfy board safety advocates.
"The present risks ... will remain until a new standard is put in place to ensure that actual weights are issued for aircraft carrying nine passengers or less," the report says.
Other safety recommendations that have been followed up on include:
The aviation industry increased the average "standard" weight of men to 206 pounds and women to 171 pounds for large carriers.
Georgina Express installed a de-icing machine on Pelee Island.
The airline employs a second crew member to aid the pilot.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued airworthiness directives for the Cessna 208 aircraft to ensure pilots have enough information to prevent loss of control while flying in icy conditions.
"We have already taken steps to further improve Canada's civil aviation safety record ... and will continue to work with the operators, airports, regulators and the Transportation Safety Board to maintain and build on this record," said Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon.
Pilot Wayne Price, 32, of Richmond Hill, was killed in the crash, as was his girlfriend, Jamie Levine, 28, of Los Angeles. Other victims were Fred Freitas, 38, and Larry Janik, 48, of Kingsville; Walter Sadowski, 48, and Ronald Spencler, 53, of Windsor; Dr. Jim Allen, 51, of Mitchell's Bay; and Ted Reeve, 53, Tom Reeve, 49, and Robert Brisco, 46, of Chatham.
Paul Mulrooney, president of Georgian Express, was unavailable for comment.
Note: For those that are interested in this sad tale, the only thing that this article omits is the fact that these 8 guys (minus pilot + girlfriend), were returning from a couple of days of pheasant hunting.
Apr. 12, 2006. 01:00 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...le&cid=1144793429552&call_pageid=968332188492
The plane was grossly overweight, its wings were iced and its pilot was tired.
That mix led directly to the deaths of 10 people on Jan. 17, 2004, when a Georgian Express Ltd. Cessna 208B Caravan lifted off Pelee Island, only to stall in freezing rain and crash into Lake Erie, according to a Transportation Safety Board of Canada report released yesterday.
"The aircraft was being flown significantly outside the limitations under which it was certified for safe flight," the board found. "The pilot's lack of appreciation for the known hazards associated with the overweight conditions of the aircraft, ice contamination and the weather conditions were inconsistent with his previous practices.
"His decision to take off was likely adversely affected by some combination of stress and fatigue."
The wreckage of the plane was found with its fuselage intact in about seven metres of water after a 12-day search hampered by poor weather conditions.
While many of the safety recommendations following the accident have been acted upon, the board said it's worried Transport Canada is dragging its feet on one issue: the weight of passengers.
This particular flight was 1,270 pounds overweight as measured using the actual weight of the passengers. Even using industry standards, which at the time were 188 pounds for men and 141 pounds for women, the plane was 703 pounds overweight.
"The use of actual passenger weights in small aircraft would provide a greater margin of safety," the report said.
Early in its probe, the board recommended that air taxis like Georgian Express that carry nine or fewer passengers should use the actual weight of passengers "to reflect current realities."
Transport Canada's response has been to study the issue. It released a statement yesterday saying it was "finalizing a risk assessment for the use of actual passenger weights for air taxi operations."
But that failed to satisfy board safety advocates.
"The present risks ... will remain until a new standard is put in place to ensure that actual weights are issued for aircraft carrying nine passengers or less," the report says.
Other safety recommendations that have been followed up on include:
The aviation industry increased the average "standard" weight of men to 206 pounds and women to 171 pounds for large carriers.
Georgina Express installed a de-icing machine on Pelee Island.
The airline employs a second crew member to aid the pilot.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued airworthiness directives for the Cessna 208 aircraft to ensure pilots have enough information to prevent loss of control while flying in icy conditions.
"We have already taken steps to further improve Canada's civil aviation safety record ... and will continue to work with the operators, airports, regulators and the Transportation Safety Board to maintain and build on this record," said Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon.
Pilot Wayne Price, 32, of Richmond Hill, was killed in the crash, as was his girlfriend, Jamie Levine, 28, of Los Angeles. Other victims were Fred Freitas, 38, and Larry Janik, 48, of Kingsville; Walter Sadowski, 48, and Ronald Spencler, 53, of Windsor; Dr. Jim Allen, 51, of Mitchell's Bay; and Ted Reeve, 53, Tom Reeve, 49, and Robert Brisco, 46, of Chatham.
Paul Mulrooney, president of Georgian Express, was unavailable for comment.
