ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 215678
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| Date: | Tuesday 25 September 2018 |
| Time: | 14:20 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | Essential Helicopters |
| Registration: | C-GMCT |
| MSN: | 10795 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2005 |
| Engine model: | Avco Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Whitchurch-Stoufville, N of Buttonville Municipal (CYKZ), ON -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | North Bay Airport, ON (YYB/CYYB) |
| Toronto-Buttonville Airport, ON (YKZ/CYKZ) | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Robinson R44 II aircraft operated by Essential Helicopters, was conducting a postioning flight from North Bay (CYYB), ON to Toronto/Buttonville Muni (CYKZ), ON with only the pilot on board.
While approaching CYKZ, the pilot encountered IMC conditions and decided to turn northbound, away from the airport. Subsequently, radio contact was lost and a search was initiated. The helicopter was found substantially damaged in bush, 9 nm North of CYKZ. The pilot was fatally injured.
Source from direct personal friend of pilot:
"The pilot of this aircraft was Jim Armstrong who at the time was employed as a Chief Flight Instructor. On his approach to Buttonville, he responded to ATC that he is heading back northbound because he got into zero-visibility. ATC suggested if Jim could find the highway 404, to use that as a reference. ATC reported the ceiling was 500ft and did not report 0 visibility and advised that it was must been an isolated area. ATC then asked Jim if he was IFR rated, from personal knowledge he was, he responded to the pilot "stand-by" which was the last transmission. Jim was very experienced, he had worked for Global News as a pilot and The Helicopter Company (tour based) in Toronto.
Aside from the investigation going on from TC, I personally went out and saw first hand the aftermath and spoke to several people who were in the area at the time of the crash. A witness who is employed by Kings Cole Ducks , just south of the crash site, reported the helicopter at approx. 15 stories (150 ft) above the ground travelling 'slowly' in a westbound direction (towards the 404 highway), he described "cloud being sucked from the rotors being pushed down" which made the area "briefly much fogger" the helicopter proceeded north bound. Witness mentions the visibility was very poor but was able to describe the color of the aircraft accurately from his position. Other witnesses said while driving the "mist"/fog seemed to be developing mostly west of the 404 where it was the strongest.
At the crash site, trees from the north side begin to be damaged and continues in a eastly direction which suggested the crash happen from west to east. I would described the site as a violent crash with a instrument lodged into a tree. I've been waiting to hear back from TC so I can relay the information I have with them, but I haven't got a response back."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/09/25/pilot-killed-helicopter-crash-whitchurch-stouffville/
https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/fatal-crashed-stouffville-helicopter-was-from-north-bay-1061841
http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2018/a18o0134/a18o0134.asp
______
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/ccarcs-riacc/RchSimpRes.aspx?cn=%7c%7c&mn=%7c%7c&sn=%7c%7c&on=1791559%7c&m=%7c%7c
https://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/ca/GMCT
Images:
Crash Scene
Media:
Update
— Tom Podolec Aviation (@TomPodolec) 25 septembre 2018
Helicopter involved in the crash is
C-GMCT Robinson R44 II belonging to Essential Helicopters based at North Bay airport. Pilot killed. Pilot reported flying into zero visibility prior to crash. Traveling from North Bay to Buttonville Airport.
📷 Essential Helicopters pic.twitter.com/9jSp52tzAM
https://t.co/OA1TQWuaR8 pic.twitter.com/GnzxdazrL6
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) March 25, 2019
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Sep-2018 20:51 | gerard57 | Added |
| 25-Sep-2018 21:26 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-Sep-2018 21:27 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Destination airport] |
| 25-Sep-2018 21:34 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-Sep-2018 21:45 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-Sep-2018 21:47 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Cn, Source, Embed code] |
| 25-Sep-2018 21:48 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Departure airport] |
| 25-Sep-2018 22:50 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 26-Sep-2018 05:28 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 01-Nov-2018 14:58 | harro | Updated [Narrative] |
| 02-Nov-2018 15:33 | dayton905 | Updated [Location, Phase, Source, Photo] |
| 25-Mar-2019 19:11 | Aerossurance | Updated [Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-Mar-2019 20:44 | harro | Updated [Location, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 15-Nov-2023 17:52 | harro | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, Embed code] |
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