The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) this week released its investigation report into the collision in Quebec of a Cessna 150M with powerlines in the outskirts of Montreal on February 17 of this year that led to the death of both occupants at the scene.

The aircraft, piloted by an unlicensed 20-year-old holding only a student pilot permit, was being flown at night at low level over Highway 20 after taking off from Montreal/St-Lazare Aerodrome (CST3) nine minutes earlier when it struck the high-tension powerlines’ ground cable, which crosses the highway. At no point does the cable rise above 98 feet (30 metres) above ground level in that area.

The pilot, who was also the owner of the aircraft, was accompanied by his 21-year-old friend who held a valid private pilot licence and a night rating. However, the TSB investigators were able to determine that the owner was the sole manipulator of the controls during the flight.

After the aircraft struck and began to slide along the cable it separated into two pieces. The upper part, the wings still attached, slid laterally along the cable for 75 metres before striking the supporting tower and falling to the ground. The lower part of the aircraft, essentially the lower half of the fuselage, also struck the tower and separated into two more pieces before falling to the ground.

The TSB investigators determined that the Cessna was under full power when it struck the cable.

See the full report appended below for further details.

Image credit: Google Earth with TSB annotations

In the early hours of June 21, 2019, a North Star Air Ltd Douglas DC-3 took off from Fort Hope airport (CYFH) bound for Pickle Lake airport (CYPL), both in Ontario. Moments after takeoff, both engines lost power simultaneously and the DC-3 landed in Eabamet Lake, which lay off the end of the runway and directly below the aircraft’s flight path.

Both occupants of the aircraft, the pilot and co-pilot, swam ashore and were eventually picked up by local police. The pilots were uninjured.

The occurrence aircraft, manufactured in 1942, had been modified with a number of Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs), the major one being the Basler Turbo Conversions TP67, which  converts the engines from the original piston radial WASP R-1830s to Pratt & Whitney Canada turbo-prop PT6A-67R engines, and the replacement of the original propellers with compatible Hartzell models. The fuel system was also modified.

A January 2018 update to the aircraft’s Approved Flight Manual Supplements (AFMS) included a change that specified that the engines’ ignition systems be set to ‘CONT’ (continuous) as opposed to ‘START’, which was the previous procedure. However, North Air’s own Standard Operation Procedures were not updated.

The TSB’s investigation revealed that it was possible for the pilot sitting in the left seat (in this incident, the pilot not flying) to accidentally snag the fuel condition levers or otherwise move the DC-3’s fuel condition levers, which control fuel flow to the engines, to the off position while twisting in his seat to operate the landing gear actuation lever located on the floor between the seats.

Given the low altitude of the aircraft (less than 400 feet above ground level), there was insufficient time or altitude to allow for standard engine restart procedures. Had the ignition systems been set to ‘CONT’, reignition would have occurred automatically without pilot intervention.

Other findings and a reiterated TSB recommendation are included in the full report appended below.

Image credit: TSB

The Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA), a not-for-profit based at Tillsonburg airport (CYTB), some 22 kilometres south of Woodstock, Ontario, is hopeful that its years-long effort to recover the remains of RCAF Flying Officer Barry Newman, who crashed into Lake Ontario in 1952 while piloting a North American P-51D Mustang, will meet with success.

The pilot lost control at an altitude of around 20,000 feet above sea level (asl), leading to an out-of-control spiral towards the lake below. A partial recovery was observed at about 2,000 feet asl, but control was not fully regained before the aircraft hit the lake surface.

Some remains of the aircraft were recovered, but not the pilot. A board of enquiry convened at the time blamed a failed oxygen system and the resulting hypoxia of Newman as the reason control of the aircraft was lost.

The CHAA hopes to bring closure to surviving relatives.

The CHAA’s recovery team, all volunteers, first formed in 2001 with the goal of recovering lost North American Harvard aircraft. The team re-activated to begin the lengthy research needed before any recovery attempt for Newman could be made. Three years later, with all the appropriate permits and authorizations in hand, the team recently began searching an area off Point Traverse, located on the eastern side of Lake Ontario. Side-scan sonar and a ‘Deep Trekker’ remotely operated underwater vehicle equipped with cameras are being employed.

The CHAA acquires, restores, maintains and operates Harvard aircraft. They currently operate eight Harvards with another one under restoration. They offer flight experiences to the public. Further information can be found here.

Photo courtesy CHAA

Airshow London, scheduled for September 12 and 13, announced this week that it has secured the participation of three more U.S. military demonstration teams. Already announced was the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team. Newly announced are the US Air Force F-35 Lightning Demo Team, their A-10 Thunderbolt Demo Team and their F-16 Viper Demo Team. This will be the first time all four USAF teams have performed at a single Canadian event.

“Being that we are the only air show in Canada this year, the U.S. Air Force is very excited to help us celebrate the essential and front-line workers,” Jim Graham, Airshow London Chair, told CTV News.

According to Airshow London’s website, 11 of the 12 participants will be from the US Air Force. Although the website indicates there will be participation from the Royal Canadian Air Force, nothing specific is mentioned. It is already known that the Snowbirds will not be performing as they have only recently been cleared to fly again, and substantial practice will be required before the team can expect to achieve currency.

Airshow London has been dubbed ‘SkyDrive’ for 2020 given that social distancing protocols have forced the organizers to create an innovative solution by making it a drive-in air show. Spectators will arrive in their automobiles and remain in or close to them while observing the show. They will be positioned on preassigned parking spots on the airport’s infield.

It is not clear yet whether any or all of the U.S. team members will touch down or stop overnight in London or arrive from and return to U.S. territory without touching down in Canada.

“They are going to be flying. If they are hosted in London, public safety will be treated as a mission”, said Graham. “In all likelihood, they could be hosted elsewhere.”

There are still tickets available. Check out their website.

Photo credit: US Air Force Senior Airman James Kennedy