Pasco Goose down, 7 fatal - Nov. 16, 2008

[golden hawk]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/index.html

Aircraft down off Sunshine Coast, passengers missing
Vancouver Province
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
Search and rescue personnel are looking for at least seven people after a Pacific Coastal Airlines seaplane went down near Thormanby Island off the Sunshine Coast this morning.

Spencer Smith of Pacific Coastal told The Province a survivor with minor wounds has been found. That person has told rescue personnel there are five other survivors, Smith said.

The Grumman Goose aircraft left Vancouver with eight passengers aboard at 10:17 a.m., Smith said. He could not confirm where it was headed.


A Grumman Goose aircraft from Pacific Coastal Airlines has crashed near Thormanby Island off the Sunshine Coast.

© Vancouver Province

[golden hawk]

One survivor reported in Sunshine Coast plane crash
Tim Lai, Vancouver Sun
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008

One man has survived a Pacific Coastal airlines crash near the Sunshine Coast.

Victoria Rescue Coordination Centre spokesman Wayne Bamford said crews are currently on scene hoisting other people on board the flight from Vancouver to Powell River.

The coast guard began its search when the flight was reported overdue.

Bamford said he was unable to confirm the condition of the other passengers on the Grumman Goose sea plane.

The flight's manifest indicated that there were eight people on board, but the survivor has said there were five additional passengers.

Bamford said the survivor was able to make it down to the shoreline. The crash occurred on a steep hillside on Thormanby Island across from Half Moon Bay.


tlai@vancouversun.com

© Vancouver Sun 2008

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news ... c54756cf68

[husky]

I can't believe they were flying this morning. Vis has been way below VFR all day today along most of the coast.

[Ralliart]

Terrible news:


7 dead in plane crash off B.C. coast Sunday

Seven people have died in a small plane crash on Thormandy Island off British Columbia's Sunshine Coast, a spokesperson for the Joint Rescue Co-orindation Centre in Victoria has confirmed.

Reports indicate a Grumman Goose airplane went down on the island's south end Sunday morning.

Lt. Marguerite Dodds-Lapinski with the Joint Rescue Co-orindation Centre has confirmed eight people were on board.

Reports indicate the lone survivor walked from the site of the crash to the island's shore, where that person was picked up by the Coast Guard. That person escaped the crash with minor burns and superficial injuries.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... crash.html

[Airtids]

Man, twice in six months. This can't be good for the Pasco folks. Condolences, and good luck...

[180]

Terribly sad. My condolences to the family and friends.

There but for the grace of God go so many of us...

[altiplano]

Horrible news...

I thought this thread was going to be new info on the crash several months back.

Condolences to all families and co-workers...

[Siddley Hawker]

I thought this thread was going to be new info on the crash several months back.

As did I, I double checked the date. This is real sad news. My condolences to all on this.

[lilfssister]

Yeah, the thread nazi did a double check as well

[Widow]

I just don't know what to say. I feel sick ...

My deepest, deepest condolences to all involved.

[golden hawk]

Plane crashes off B.C's Sunshine Coast killing seven
Survivor hiked down from island hill to hail rescuers

By Andy Ivens, Vancouver Province
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008

Seven people are dead and one person survived a Pacific Coastal Airlines crash on South Thormanby Island near B.C's Sunshine Coast on Sunday morning.

PCA's Grumman Goose took off from the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport with eight people on board at 10:17 a.m. bound for Powell River.

Bill Yearwood, regional manager for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said wreckage of the airplane was located by search and rescue personnel near Spyglass Hill on the island.

He said the lone survivor was airlifted to a hospital on nearby Sunshine Coast by military search and rescue personnel from 442 Squadron of the Canadian Forces with non-life-threatening injuries.

"Our information is there are no other survivors," said Yearwood.

"The RCMP are securing the accident site and we are planning to dispatch investigators to the site [Monday] morning."

A local coroner was en route to the crash site, he said.

PCA vice-president of customer service Spencer Smith issued a press release confirming the seven deaths Sunday afternoon.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those involved in this incident," said the release.

Yearwood said TSB data show the Grumman Goose was travelling northbound at about 195 km/h before the crash.

"The weather was not the best at the time the aircraft took off," said Yearwood.

"It was cleared for special VFR, which means the weather was lower than VFR [visual flight rules] minimums."

aivens@theprovince.com

© Vancouver Province
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http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/ ... 7cb7f6ce58

[golden hawk]

Seven killed in B.C. plane crash
Lone survivor taken to Vancouver General Hospital after aircraft slammed into Thormanby Island

Tim Lai, Vancouver Sun
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
B.C. - Seven people have died after a Pacific Coastal aircraft slammed into a steep hillside on Thormanby Island on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast. It's the airline's second deadly crash in three months.


A lone survivor was initially taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Sechelt before being transferred to Vancouver General Hospital, according to the B.C. Ambulance Service.

The crash occurred on a steep hillside on Thormanby Island across from Half Moon Bay.

Bill Yearwood, spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), said it's not known at this time what caused the crash. The plane has exploded into a mass of burning wreckage, he said, and it's too early to come to any conclusions.

Victoria Rescue Coordination Centre spokesman Wayne Bamford said crews are currently on scene hoisting other people on board the flight from Vancouver to Powell River.

The coast guard began its search when the flight was reported overdue on Sunday.

The group was heading to a Plutonic Power work camp on Toba Inlet.

Plutonic Power is a green energy company currently developing several run-of-river hydroelectric projects in B.C. Its flagship project, the 196 Mega-watt East Toba and Montrose project, is currently under construction, with operation to begin in 2010.

TSB investigators will visit the site Monday morning to continue the investigation.

The Pacific Coastal website says the Grumman Goose was first flown in 1937. Only 345 were built, but a number still operate in coastal areas due to their rugged construction and amphibious capability.

This is the second crash in four months for Pacific Coastal Airlines. In August, a Grumman Goose G21A amphibious plane disappeared 10 minutes after takeoff on a routine flight from Port Hardy to a logging camp at Chamiss Bay, near Kyuquot Inlet. The charred wreckage was found hours later in dense brush on a hillside north of Port Alice.

Five people died, while two survived, including Bob Pomponio of Campbell River, who was able to send text messages from his cellphone to guide rescuers to the remote crash site. Both surviving men were among a crew of six workers with Seaspan International headed to Chamiss Bay to load logs onto barges.

At the time, police had suggested that crash was caused by a stalled engine, but Yearwood said engine malfunction had been ruled out. A final report has not yet been drafted. Yearwood said it was unfortunate that this is the second crash for Pacific Coastal Airlines in such a short time, but added the TSB has not been called into investigate the company prior to the August crash in recent years.

tlai@vancouversun.com

© Vancouver Sun 2008

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news ... c54756cf68

[SeptRepair]

Im with widow, when I read this I felt sick. My thoughts to all affected.

[Widow]

If anyone knows who the pilot was, please pm ... we have a friend flying this route.

[Rowdy]

Oh man! Aweful aweful news. I know a couple of those boys. Ones a poster here. West coast swell.. Jeeeesuss

If it wasn't you buddy.. shoot me a pm asap. Or if anyone knows who was driving, could you let me know via pm?

My deepest and sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those lost. This sucks. @#$!!

[Rudder Bug]

Very very sad, and I am getting those horrible news as I am weathered in western Canada.

My deepest condolences to the victim's families, co-workers and friends and a speedy recovery for the lone survivor.

[2milefinal]

Very sorry to hear this.
My condolences.

[fogghorn]

Awful news, unbelievable on the heels of the August accident. Condolences to the families and friends.

[shankdown]

This is terrible news & very gut-wrenching. My sincerest condolences to the families of all involved, and to Pacific Coastal Airlines and the good people that work there and own the place. This is sad, sad news.

If anyone can provide any more details as to where on Thormanby this occured, please pm me with the info. Thanks.

SD

[BeechBoy007]

Was at the lake this morning washing the Beech. Couldn’t see for fog. Thought to myself, gee, I hope nobody’s out there in this…………

No words…………….the loss..

Here comes a sleepless night…………....

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Same for me B.B.007 was in the hangar and remember thinking that this looks like a typical November all day fog situation.....

....don't even want to post here because this type of news is just so awful.

[Invertago]

Awful news, hearts and prayers go out to the families.

Has there been any updates as to the cause of the first crash? News says PASCO has just grounded its entire float fleet, not sure if they just meant to say Gooses only or Beavers as well. 2008 has been a bad year for them, I don't recall them ever having a crash prior to this year.

[West Coast Swell]

[fundi]

worked there. Great people, good hearts!

So so sorry to everyone at Pasco who have lost another friend,

and to the loved ones who are feeling the pain of sudden loss.

...words are not enough!!

[North Shore]

Ugh.. just heard the news driving in from the ferry terminal. Now I'm home, phone calls are made, and it's not one of the few guys I know up there, I feel a little better, but still... Condolences to the families and Pasco people.