Helicopter Fatal ?

[407 Driver]

...Hearing stories about a Helicopter Fatality north of Cranbrook on Dec 28th. Rumors are that it was a N registered R-22 that crashed around Canal Flats.

 

No more news than that yet

[Helilog56]

The (sleazy tabloid) Province newspaper mentions that the aircraft caught fire upon impact but did not cosume all the wreckage and the pilot on board seems to be identified as an american citizen. The authourities are questioning the activities of the aircraft at the time of the crash. It is mentioned that there was no flight plan or itinerary filed...... :down:

[407 Driver]

From CFCN.ca

 

 

POSTED AT 11:45 AM Wednesday, December 29

 

 

One person died in a helicopter crash in Southeastern B.C.

 

 

The R.C.M.P. confirms the chopper went down near Kimberley, B.C. just north of the Canal Flats Tuesday afternoon.

 

The helicopter was en route from Cranbrook to Revelstoke when it crashed into a mountain.

 

The chopper is registered out of Boulder, Colorado.

 

The pilot was the only person on board.

 

His body has been recovered, but his name has not been released.

 

R.C.M.P., Transport Safety Board Investigators and B.C.'s coroner's office are at the scene trying to determine the cause of the accident.

[Rotorboy2]

Hmmm, no flight plan.

 

Anyone else thinking it was a drug run?

[407 Driver]

Nah, flight without a flight plan is quite common in the USA. besides ...what's an R-22 going to smuggle? 3 joints and a bag of Pills?

Also...Canal Flats is almost a 1 hour flight north of the USA border, why go that far? there's plenty of good secluded landing spots closer, plus you'd wouldn't have to fly right past CYXC International airport (Cranbrook). The valley there is wide, flat and populated, no covert low level ops there like the rugged mountainous areas south-west of Pentiction! Also....I heard the US has surveilance radar in the Kootenay and Flathead valleys...not sure if it's true?

 

The local Weather was good yesterday, just a typical valley fog layer between 6-7,000, good above, good below.

[Helilog56]

Hmmmm......hey 407, all those comments could make one think you have the calculating mind of a........let's just say, a guy that spends to much time with "White Powder"!??.....

[407 Driver]

I have no comment to that, and I want my Lawyer !

[helidude]

The T.S.B. will figure it out. Whatever reason put him there, it still sucks!

[Deep Throat II]

This was sent to me by a friend. Fly Safe

 

Registration

: N313AL Operator :

Manufacturer : ROBINSON HELICOPTER Operator Type: PRIVATE

Model : R44 CARs Info:

Injuries: Fatal : 1 Serious : 0 Minor : 0 None : 0 Unknown : 0

 

 

Occurrence Summary :

 

A04P0422: The privately registered Robinson R-44 helicopter (N313AL) departed Cranbrook, BC, at 1343 MST for Revelstoke with only the pilot onboard. At about 1515 MST the helicopter crashed into terrain at about 4000 feet ASL on a steep treed hillside near Invermere. There was a post impact fire. The pilot did not survive. RCMP, Coroner service and TSB personnel were dispatched to the site to gather information.

[Rotorboy2]

Yeah 407,

 

You seem to have all the answers... it's almost like you've looked at the options before.

 

As for Americans flying in without a flight plan...

 

I wouldn't dream of flying into the US without a flight plan. Especially if I had never flown in before.

 

Why would anyone simply think it would be wise to jsut hop in their a/c and fly across the border without notifying anyone???