News
Poor weather contributed to accident in New Brunswick
Dec. 16, 2011, Gatineau, Que. - The Transportation Safety Board says a pilot's decision to fly in poor weather and his unfamiliarity with new safety equipment likely led to a fatal plane crash in northeast New Brunswick.
December 16, 2011 By The Canadian Press
The twin-engine Cessna was carrying only the pilot when it went missing on the night of Dec. 14, 2010, while travelling from Saint-Hubert, Que., to Pokemouche, N.B.
The wreckage and body of the pilot were discovered two days later, about nine kilometres from the Pokemouche airport.
The plane was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire.
Investigator Bruce Mullen said the pilot was unfamiliar with a new global positioning system and other equipment that had just been installed.
He said the pilot had received less than an hour of training with the equipment earlier that day.
"The weather wasn't very good, which contributed to the accident, and the equipment being new and his unfamiliarity with the equipment contributed to the accident," Mullen said in an interview.
He said visibility was poor on the night of the crash, but the pilot had decided to fly to Pokemouche to meet an unexpected charter request the next day.
