twin engine Grumman Goose down in British Columbia - 7 dead

[LX-LGX]

The accident happened just off the Sunshine Coast - British Columbia.

Pilot + 7 pax on board.

One passenger escaped the wreckage just before it exploded; he was rescued by the Canadian Coast Guard several hours after the incident.

Plane was operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines (B.C.)

Fleet Pacific Coastal Airlines, including a photo from a Grunman Goose:
http://www.pacific-coastal.com/index.php?id=38

More about these nice planes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_Goose

More info about the crash:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/s ... hub=Canada

[LX-LGX]

CTV News (Canada) says that it's the company's 2nd Grunman Goose crash in 3 months:

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/seven-dead/#clip113079

http://www.ctv.ca

[bits44]

We should fix the title, it's a Grumman Goose not a Grunman.


The Accident occurred during marginal VFR conditions and in the area concerned there was Marine fog present.

I fly in B.C. a lot and weather conditions during winter months change extremely rapidly, the pilots for Pacific Coastal also fly in those conditions and are aware of the capacity for change.

However despite the best laid plans of mice and men, things go terribly wrong, and it appears that may have been the case in this incident, to go from marginal VFR to Zero visibility is not uncommon and is the cause of many aviation accidents in B.C.

Investigation will determine the actual cause, but I would not be surprised if weather was a big contributing factor.

It's always a sad day when fellow aviators perish, and especially within a close knit community such as Pacific Coastal was.

A little more insight into how tough flying in Coastal B.C. can be.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/stor ... f9cde1c2bc