Beaver incident in Nanaimo?

[Cat Driver]

Anyone know about a Beaver incident in Nanaimo yesterday?

[Bulawrench]

All OK we hear.
Be careful fellas.

[Cat Driver]

All OK we hear.
Be careful fellas.

So the rumor was correct that a Beaver hit some trees on the approach to Nanaimo harbor?

Is there a CADORS link?

[viccoastdog]

I haven't searched CADORS yet, but does anyone have further details? Hit trees on approach into Nanaimo Harbour! How does that happen?

[Widow]

CADORS show nothing around Nanaimo for the last week.

[Cat Driver]

All OK we hear.
Be careful fellas.

CADORS show nothing around Nanaimo for the last week.

Hmmm...

So if there was no incident why the rumor and why would someone say " all o.k. we hear " ......which was what I heard.....except the Beaver was not o.k.

[Pigasso1]

Oh something definately happened. Fortunately they made it to the dock safely and all are ok. Unfortunately, JBP isn't looking so pretty anymore. It has been taken to Sealand for repairs. How does a high-time west coast pilot hit the trees on an approach he's done hundreds of times? Sources say it wasn't foggy at the time although the fog had been in the harbour earlier in the day. Who makes the call to stay or go if weather is an issue besides the pilot? Where is the safety officer? Should he have been flying? Its such a shame. My thoughts are with the passengers, who, thank god are alive today.

[Widow]

[turbo-beaver]

I was in the area a couple times during the day. Departure Bay looked to be open when I flew past but the fog was very extensive and was moving around all day. The story I have heard from the folks flying at West Coast was the pilot hit the trees letting down on Newcastle Island in the fog, apparently thinking the dark spot was the water. The damage was estimated at $150,000.00 to the spar and oil cooler and wing which all tangled with the balsams on Newcastle. If there is nothing reported on the CADORS as yet, perhaps they just forgot to notify Transport.
Apparently another Beaver pilot at West Coast just walked off the job with no notice just a day after this accident. Makes one wonder what is going on over there. Thankfully, they got lucky in that no one was injured this time but that must have been one close call.

[viccoastdog]

I also heard just about the same version of events and damage from a WCA pilot, plus I also was told one of the elevators was hanging on just by the tube- pretty amazing the pilot got it on the water.

I also heard that Harbour Air had scrapped their whole day of flying the Nanaimo run due to the fog coming and going.

So if the plane was in fact being flown down into the fog I have to ask the question "WHY DID THE PILOT DO IT?" He had five passengers on board whose safety is his responsibility - can't see the water when you get to Nanaimo; then go back to Vancouver, it's that simple. Period, full stop.

[Cat Driver]

I also heard just about the same version of events and damage from a WCA pilot, plus I also was told one of the elevators was hanging on just by the tube- pretty amazing the pilot got it on the water.

.

It has been taken to Sealand for repairs.

So how did they get it to Sealand?

[viccoastdog]

I heard from a WCA pilot they took it apart and trucked it to CR. Amazing this hasn't hit the news somewhere.

[leaveit2beaver]

Congrats 2 the pilot who got the machine down ok with no injuries, even if he or she screwed up approaching through fog. I am sorry 2 say that I am not suprised, having worked there not long ago. The old coastal motto is still is alive and well at WCA u know the one "We,ll get u there if it kills us" Unfortunately they among some other operators still pressurize pilots to push limits loads weather etc.
The problems there stems from management who utilize fear motivation, believing that this antiaquated technique will ultimatily
maximize revenue. We r all human and can succumb to pressure percieved or real, management included.

WCA management have implimented some very proactive measures in the last year, but some fundimental issues must still be addressed if the want to succeed over the long term.

I sure hope they get there issues worked out for there r many good people there and the company has a lot of potential.

[Cat Driver]

The old coastal motto is still is alive and well at WCA u know the one "We,ll get u there if it kills us" Unfortunately they among some other operators still pressurize pilots to push limits loads weather etc.

This type of mindset just drives me crazy.....Vancouver to Nanaimo is not flying in Africa, there is so much weather information available that there is no way in hell that a pilot can accidently fly into below VFR conditions...PERIOD...and as far as over loads are concerned there is no excuse for departing over loaded.....PERIOD.

[viccoastdog]

We r all human and can succumb to pressure percieved or real, management included

That's a cop out: PIC has ultimate responsibilty and should know it...hell, it's a basic part of the training to be a pilot.

[Widow]

This thread says:

it sounds like dhc-2 west coast air went into the trees the other day with 5 ladies on board
bent the wing toke off the tail
the pilot has since been let go
I heard he was trying to land in the fog in Nanaimo
any additional info would be great

[leaveit2beaver]

I am with u Cat drvr, i too deplore that mind set, never the less there r those who still operate that way. Insofar as weather info in that area yes there r many resources in that neighborhood although there is no published wx for Nanaimo harbour or Van harbour (only atis). there is wx from lighthouses tafs and Metars for yvr and vic
but of course those are only snapshots. Pireps can be helpful of course,but if u set out in marginal conditions wx can deteriate rapidly below limits. I don,t know the particuliars of this occurence but I do know that the tree tops at newcastle island are around 500 ft.
I have gone across the straight many times and had wx go down along with others who also end up slugging along at 200 ft or less with forward vis down to a mile or less when wx reports indicated otherwise.
My point is that yes pilot responsibility remains, yetsome operators do push pilots to exceed limits personal or legal.

[leaveit2beaver]

I agree viccoastdog the pilot is ultimatly responsible I have left employers who tried to veto my rights as a pilot. Never the less my point is some operators still do everything they can to force pilots to exceed limits and there will always be those who secumb to this unhealthy enviornment.

[Widow]

I heard from a WCA pilot they took it apart and trucked it to CR.

... I heard differently. Perhaps my source is mistaken.

[Cat Driver]

Once again lets stop the B.S. about accidently flying into weather so bad you can't see Newcastle island, that is just plain B.S.

The office in Nanaimo has a radio and they require you to report by Entrance Island so if the fog had become that bad that they couldn't see the island why didn't they tell the pilot, or did they?

I am not going to make any further comment about why this happened because I don't know the facts surrounding why it happened, but I am not going to accept anyone trying to convince me you can't get the present weather on this short run.