First Air Crash Resolute Bay August 20 2011

[CAFO]

I was in Yellowknife on Sunday morning and saw an absolutely amazing sunrise with a beautiful rainbow, I have no doubt this was the crew looking down upon friends and family. My condolences to the whole First Air friends and family.

[fish4life]

I hope one of the things that come from this crash is the need for an Arctic SAR base, and how essential is it in ensuring survivors of an accident won't succumb to injuries before they can be rescued.

[loopy]

My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the crew and passengersas well as the entire First Air family.

[jpilot77]

I have to agree with fish4life we need a an Artic SAR base (and as a military base it would give us presence in the north that we really don't have in a permanent base). If the military hadn't been on sight for the exercise who knows if the three survivors would have made it?

[swordfish]

see next, with quote...

[swordfish]

I have to agree with fish4life we need a an Artic SAR base (and as a military base it would give us presence in the north that we really don't have in a permanent base). If the military hadn't been on sight for the exercise who knows if the three survivors would have made it?

An accident like this only happens once in a hundred years. There would be no point in equipping-up and subsequently maintaining such a base that never got used. It would cost millions of dollars, which I am not prepared to afford in my taxes.

[Brewguy]

The RCMP has released the names of all of the victims:

Passengers Marty Bergmann, Cheyenne Eckalook, Steve Girouard, Lise Lamoureux, Gabrielle Pelky, Raymond Pitre, Randolph Reid, Michael Rideout, Chesley Tibbo, Nicole Williamson and Robin Wyllie along with crew members Ann Marie Chassie, David Hare, Ute Merritt and Blair Rutherford.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/survivors+wa ... z1VnBYDxIb

[~Hollywood~]

Didn't know First Air had another 737 declare an emergency about 2 hours following this tragic accident. Glad to hear this had a much better outcome....

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/201108 ... nt-110822/

[jpilot77]

An accident like this only happens once in a hundred years. There would be no point in equipping-up and subsequently maintaining such a base that never got used. It would cost millions of dollars, which I am not prepared to afford in my taxes.

I agree that large airline crashes in the Arctic are extremely rare, but that's not the only kind of air crashes that happen in the Arctic. I believe with sovereignty issues are going to force Ottawa to eventually have a larger presence in the Arctic. Not to mention that a base could be located in an existing airport i.e. Iqualuit.

[CpnCrunch]

An accident like this only happens once in a hundred years. There would be no point in equipping-up and subsequently maintaining such a base that never got used. It would cost millions of dollars, which I am not prepared to afford in my taxes.

I agree that large airline crashes in the Arctic are extremely rare, but that's not the only kind of air crashes that happen in the Arctic. I believe with sovereignty issues are going to force Ottawa to eventually have a larger presence in the Arctic. Not to mention that a base could be located in an existing airport i.e. Iqualuit.

I agree that it makes sense to have a permanent presence in the arctic. I think having a base up there would be a lot cheaper and more useful than the mission in Afghanistan.

[ifollowrivers]

The RCMP has released the names of all of the victims:

Passengers Marty Bergmann, Cheyenne Eckalook, Steve Girouard, Lise Lamoureux, Gabrielle Pelky, Raymond Pitre, Randolph Reid, Michael Rideout, Chesley Tibbo, Nicole Williamson and Robin Wyllie along with crew members Ann Marie Chassie, David Hare, Ute Merritt and Blair Rutherford.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/survivors+wa ... z1VnBYDxIb

Just a correction to this post.
That isn't a list of the victims, it's a list of people believed to be onboard the flight. Gabrielle Pelky is the 7 yr old girl who was flown to Ottawa Hospital with a broken leg and lacerations to her head.
I'm not sure who the other 2 survivors were at this time.

I'd also like to express sincere condolences and my prayers extend out to all who were affected by this awful tragedy.

[Adiabatic]

My deepest condolences to everyone involved and affected with this tragedy. I had spent some time working with Aziz and his co-workers up there last Spring. It is sad as it affects us all within the Northern aviation community.
I had heard 6560 on the radio taking off out of Yellowknife shortly after I had early that morning...

SB

[Siddley Hawker]

I'm sure many on this board are wondering why a perfectly routine approach could go so tragically wrong, but the wreckage was still smoldering when the speculation started. Many on this board also knew the crew and more than likely some of the passengers. Out of respect for them, their friends, colleagues and families, leave the second guessing alone at least until the bodies have been buried.

[Big Pratt]

Having liaised with First Air operations for the better part of that fateful afternoon and night, I can only say that their professionalism, focus and clear thinking were unparalleled.
The composure that Mike D and his team showed while the events unfolded is in a class of its own.

My condolences to the families of all the victims.

BP

[55+]

I'm sure many on this board are wondering why a perfectly routine approach could go so tragically wrong, but the wreckage was still smoldering when the speculation started. Many on this board also knew the crew and more than likely some of the passengers. Out of respect for them, their friends, colleagues and families, leave the second guessing alone at least until the bodies have been buried.

.

+1 - couldn't agree more. I don't know a thing about First Air nor do I know anybody who works there although I did fly out of YZF to YEG a few years back with them. Understand from media reports, the flight crew left young families behind. Don't know what it is but have been thinking about this tragedy constantly this past few days and how it could have happened especially from approach design prospective( which I do have knowledge about). But, no speculation from me, I feel I dont have the right to do that. The TSB with their usual professionalism will establish "cause and contributing factors" in due course as they have always done.

By your leave
55+

[canuckjetsetter]

Having liaised with First Air operations for the better part of that fateful afternoon and night, I can only say that their professionalism, focus and clear thinking were unparalleled.
The composure that Mike D and his team showed while the events unfolded is in a class of its own.

My condolences to the families of all the victims.

BP

Couldn't agree more. I've been speaking with their SOC all weekend and the calm and professional demeanour from Mike D, DXP, Crew Scheduling and their SOC Duty Managers is truly amazing.

Deepest condolences to everyone involved.
.

[wotai139]

rest in peace. This day will always be remembered.

[oldncold]

To the family of Blair Rutherford my deepest condolences. i can only hope time heals the hole in your hearts. I would like to relate a story that happened 20yrs ago and to let you know that your loss is felt by many in the aviation community.

In 1991 we were workin for Northway out of Arnes Manitoba. Blair ,James Johnson , Doug Wood , C.P.Craig Brown, the recession of 90-95 was in full swing and \i was lucky to start with a 6 week job loadn freight during breakup hoping one those guys got a job flyin somethin bigger out of winnipeg.

We Had a gas // on friday we would load up in James's jeep and go to town in gimli mb for some beers , one friday after a late spring snow fall, James scared the crapp out of us doing donuts in a farmers field all gased up. Blair said if you ever do that again I m gon beat the piss out ya james. laughing all the way to the crew house . next morning we checked and realized that we had missed a 20ft full dugout by mere inches.

One Saturday we went to the 'pal' in winnipeg there were lots of hot lookin women around and Blair being from winnipeg told us to be cool tell them at your a bus driver for the winnipeg transit service like his dad. Blair explained chicks want a guy who is stable not some fly by nighter . Doug said no way were pilots ,Blair reasoned with Doug saying what do ya do all day doug ? well fly friegt in people all over the inter lake , though doug agreed that it was like a bus driver only much faster.

So a few shooters and several beers later we were all sittin around with some hot women talkin about drivin the bus .lol

Though we lost touch over the years I would hear occasionly about Blair and how he was doing and my thoughts would go back to that night in the pal about being reminded that we really are bus drivers . I told that story many times in the past 20 yrs and always relate it to Blair and that hot may night with some great lookin gals and a bunch of horny single pilots.

To those who are close to the family I would appreciate passing this along to them . Bottoms up Blair

[Old fella]

Info on pax and crew - so very sad


http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/f ... le/1433962

[bmc]

If this happened, it isn't the first time. There was an incident at Prince George in the 70s or 80s where a CP 737 crew flew the localizer approach tuned to the Prince George VOR and only pulled up when they heard the trees hitting the bottom of the aircraft up on Tabor Mountain. Or so the story goes. At any rate, they made it.

The GPWS went off. They didn't contact trees.

Had to do with PWA / CP aircraft with slightly different panels and different crews. Thought they were set up to land, when the ILS was the VOR.

[cncpc]

If this happened, it isn't the first time. There was an incident at Prince George in the 70s or 80s where a CP 737 crew flew the localizer approach tuned to the Prince George VOR and only pulled up when they heard the trees hitting the bottom of the aircraft up on Tabor Mountain. Or so the story goes. At any rate, they made it.

The GPWS went off. They didn't contact trees.

Had to do with PWA / CP aircraft with slightly different panels and different crews. Thought they were set up to land, when the ILS was the VOR.

Ok, thanks for the less dramatic truth.

[nutbutter]

How bout a misjudge on a contact or a circling upon reentering IMC? Not much altitude to play with on that circling it looks like to me. Hard to believe anyone would circle in an airplane that big though, especially in and around that terrain, buy maybe I just don't know any better.
Skylink Metro in Terrace anyone?

[ahramin]

Just to clearly repost the crew names:

Captain Blair Rutherford
First Officer David Hare
Purser Anne Marie Chassie
Flight Attendant Ute Merritt

[cncpc]

I assume this was the last weather.

Correction, this was the weather 20 minutes after the accident.

METAR CYRB 201800Z 19008KT 10SM VCFG SCT003 OVC010 07/07 A2983 RMK
SF3ST5 SLP108=

At the airport, there doesn't seem to be any difficulty in getting in on either the full ILS or the localizer. It looks like its not so good to the E-SE.

I'm not a heavy aircraft pilot, but I would think the reaction to an engine failure would be to continue on to land if within 3 miles and all ok otherwise.

I can't see circling being involved when a straight in ILS was easy. Maybe the weather changed, and it wasn't easy, but in that case circling wouldn't be an option.

I don't see an emergency and pull up without a radio call being likely, given that the crew would have known they had Borek somewhere out on the backcourse.

And there's a lot of things that don't make sense on the mistuned VOR bit as well.

[1&2SpooledUp]

I Just came across this article in Wings Magazine. http://www.wingsmagazine.com/content/view/1302/

Having this technology aboard would eliminate the need to conduct a circling approach or a traditional "chop and drop" step down maneuver. I know there is no WAAS approach at YRB, but if the Glide Slope was U/S they could have used the FMS to conduct a constant descent approach onto either runway. Although the VOR theory makes sense at this point in time because we don't have anymore facts to go on but a picture of the wreckage at a distance, I don't buy it! Thoughts?