Combination of factors led to plane crash: Transportation Safety Board report
Posted Oct 28, 2021 1:46 pm.
Last Updated Oct 28, 2021 1:56 pm.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says several factors led to a deadly plane crash in northern Saskatchewan, including weather, poor safety measures and a lack of proper de-icing equipment.
The safety board also says the company that operated the twin-turboprop plane had a history of flying in unsafe conditions.
The crash near the Fond du Lac Airport occurred shortly after takeoff on Dec. 13, 2017.
RELATED: Plane that crashed in Saskatchewan left long wreckage path across ground: TSB
The plane operated by Saskatoon-based West Wind Aviation plummeted near the airport and was destroyed.
Nine people on board were seriously injured and one passenger died in hospital.
The 226-page report on the safety board’s investigation outlines the events leading up to the crash, as well as causes and contributing factors
It says crew members were aware before landing that ice was forming on the plane, but adequate equipment was not supplied for de-icing before taking off again.
The report says the first officer’s inspection consisted of walking around the aircraft in a dimly lit area and without a flashlight.
Investigators also determined departing from remote airports with surface contamination on an aircraft had become common practice because of inadequate safety equipment.
The board urged Transport Canada to work with remote airlines to ensure proper de-icing methods are being implemented.
The safety board cannot assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability, but offers insights and recommendations to prevent further accidents.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2021.
