Helicopter missing - Northern MB July 2 2013 0754 hrs

[Sasquash]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breaki ... 66201.html

Hoping for the best...

[lost in the north]

R.I.P My condolences to family ,friends , and custom

[Sasquash]

Wreckage of overdue helicopter spotted near Gillam

By: Staff Writer Last Modified: 2:54 PM

The wreckage of a downed helicopter in northern Manitoba has been spotted by crew members of a search plane from Winnipeg, Gillam RCMP have confirmed.

The wreckaged, believed to be that of an overdue helicopter owned by Custom Helicopters, a St. Andrews-based company, was spotted just before noon today in a remote area near Gull Lake about 50 kilometres west of Gillam.

A Royal Canadian Air Force CC130 Hercules from 17 Wing Winnipeg had been dispatched to conduct a search of the area.

Efforts are underway to get to the wreckage of the Bell 206 helicopter, RCMP said.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been notified.

RCMP continue to investigate.

The pilot and helicopter reportedly left Gillam around 4:30 p.m. Monday but did not arrive at the scheduled destination.

A spokesman from Custom Helicopters in St. Andrews confirmed it is the company’s pilot and helicopter that were missing.

"We’re just trying to get some information on that ourselves," he said, earlier today. "It’s northern Manitoba but we don’t really have any information right now."

There are reports of forest fires in the Gillam area creating thick smoke which is creating challenging conditions for the searchers.

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another sad day. Thoughts and prayers to the family....

[Doc]

@#$!!!

[Strobes]

Shize, that's right by the Keeyask and Ilford fires... And right where the storms were yesterday evening...

[Strobes]

Just remembered, at around 1700 local, center cleared CAV517 for an approach into YGX, and the weather was reported 1/2sm TSRA FU ovc003...

[Rowdy]

Yuck.. my condolences to friends and family...

[armchair]

The theme of this post is drift. Another helicopter pilot bites the dust, and once this thread drifts to pages 2 and 3, little to be known about. Drifting into oblivion... I get drifts of that Universal Bell 206 pilot who died on the easter coast of Baffin Island.. and countless others. This really bugs the heck out of me because I also happen to fly the B206. Its not about the B206 though, but nevertheless, same for Astar, Colibri, Robinson and whatever variation.

The Bell 206 rarely craps out, so then it goes to weather, and pressure. 95% of the time, pilots get pressured to fly out in garbage crap. INSANE CRAP weather and vis and night and whatever. Many times it is self-imposed pressure, not just the boss looking over your shoulder, even though sometimes it is. We push the envelope all the time... getting away with it most of the time, but not this time. Sorry for your loss Custom and others, please try to prevent another one. But there will always be a next one. Who wil it be? You? Me?

[All Sides]

The theme of this post is drift. Another helicopter pilot bites the dust, and once this thread drifts to pages 2 and 3, little to be known about. Drifting into oblivion... I get drifts of that Universal Bell 206 pilot who died on the easter coast of Baffin Island.. and countless others. This really bugs the heck out of me because I also happen to fly the B206. Its not about the B206 though, but nevertheless, same for Astar, Colibri, Robinson and whatever variation.

The Bell 206 rarely craps out, so then it goes to weather, and pressure. 95% of the time, pilots get pressured to fly out in garbage crap. INSANE CRAP weather and vis and night and whatever. Many times it is self-imposed pressure, not just the boss looking over your shoulder, even though sometimes it is. We push the envelope all the time... getting away with it most of the time, but not this time. Sorry for your loss Custom and others, please try to prevent another one. But there will always be a next one. Who wil it be? You? Me?

The Long Ranger that took of on Eastern Baffin Island left in very low visibility over open water, a recipe for disaster. My understanding is he was a very experienced veteran arctic pilot, which makes it a little difficult to understand why he left. The accommodation in that part of the world is not the best, I can only assume he wanted out of there badly?

I find your comments a little disturbing about who will be next, the only thing you can do is make sure it is not you. If you take the precautions to eliminate the odds by making safe decisions an accident is not inevitable. Don't let "anyone" push you into anything, do a thorough pre-flight, walk around the machine "every" time before you leave, check the wx and use good judgement and it can be a relatively safe job. If you honestly think that you will have an accident, I seriously think you are in the wrong business. Maybe you just need to change your perspective, act professional and don't let the fact that others are not, influence your decisions. I would rather be terminated than have an accident on my record, letting someone push you into something is simply not worth it.

In the meantime I hope that Customs accident has a good outcome. My prayers are with him.

I agree that B206's have a good safety record, but any helicopter can and do have failures. It is not determined whether the pilot of the Custom 206 actually perished in this accident, but admittedly it isn't looking promising at the moment. I sincerely hope he got out and is onshore. Fingers crossed.

[armchair]

Thank you All sides, I am glad my comment disturbs you, although I did not imply I am being pushed around to fly, as I am not. Still, I get the "drift". Been flying for 33 years too so I beat the odds, so far. Knock on wood. I was not going to be the next one anyway because the next one already happened today. Well, make that two. Someone will post about it as soon as CBC finds out. I'll post it if nobody else does beat me to it.

On the Gillam / Custom crash, I did not know the status of the pilot was unclear, or unconfirmed, and presumed deceased. This is - again - like the Baffin Island, as that pilot's body was never found either. How big is the body of water where the Custom helo went down? What is the official guidance for authorities in terms of looking for a body or not?

Fly safe all.

[helione]

strange there has been no info on search ?

[lost in the north]

Its a very muddy fast moving river, also lots of deadfall and trees still standing on the bottom of the river, as it is part of the nelson river hydro dams. Search is going on but it will not be easy. The pilot has been flying in the area for 18 plus years.

[helione]

Its a very muddy fast moving river, also lots of deadfall and trees still standing on the bottom of the river, as it is part of the nelson river hydro dams. Search is going on but it will not be easy. The pilot has been flying in the area for 18 plus years.

thank you for your information

[lost in the north]

pilot has been found....rip

[J31]

CTV Winnipeg
Published Monday, July 8, 2013 9:51AM CST
Last Updated Monday, July 8, 2013 9:52AM CST

RCMP said the underwater recovery team has located the body of a helicopter pilot following a crash last week.
A Bell 206 crashed near Gillam in northern Manitoba on July 2.
A plane was dispatched from the 17 Wing in Winnipeg to look for the downed helicopter.
After spotting wreckage from the air, crews were sent into the remote location to search the area, about 50 km west of Gillam at Gull Lake.
RCMP said the pilot of the helicopter has been identified as a 69-year-old man from Surrey, B.C. His name has not been released.
The recovery team located the body on July 7.

Police continue to investigate and said further information is not yet available.

http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/crews-find-b ... -1.1357954

[GyvAir]

Loss of situational awareness and control likely caused fatal 2013 Manitoba helicopter accident

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-repor ... 3C0073.asp