Transportation Safety Board releases report on south Sask. plane crash
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on May 17, 2023.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews A plane that crashed near Shaunavon 18 months ago hit a telecommunications tower, shearing off its wing, before hitting the ground, killing the two men aboard, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has ruled. The crash occurred at about 10 a.m. on Sept. 18, 2022, about 10 kilometres south of Shaunavon, as the Cessna 172 travelled on a planned route from Swift Current through the southwest region, then to Estevan to monitor pipeline infrastructure. A report released Tuesday by the federal agency states it is possible that sun glare, which would have been in direct view as the plane turned eastward, may have “obscured the pilot’s view” of the tower. It also states that the filed flight plan stated a constant level of 550 feet above ground level. The plane was equipped with an altimeter to measure distance from sea-level, but not gauges to determine ground level. The plane’s wing struck the tower about 25 feet from its top. That tore off a four-foot section of the wing. The fuselage hit the ground about 250 metres away. The crash and resulting fire killed the pilot and co-pilot, and destroyed both the flight information recorder and emergency beacon. The TSB report does not define fault but provided a general safety message in its conclusion. “Pilots are reminded of the importance of consulting available navigational charts when flight planning and in flight so as to avoid colliding with obstacles identified on those charts,” it read. 10-9
