ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 44929
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| Date: | Friday 20 February 2004 |
| Time: | 12:40 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Mariner |
| Owner/operator: | Bear Creek Contracting Ltd |
| Registration: | C-FILW |
| MSN: | 1457M |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 40nm SSE of Prince Rupert, British Columbia -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Prince Rupert Airport, Digby Island, British Columbia (CYPR) |
| Kumealon Inlet, British Columbia | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On February 20, 2004, about 12:40 PST (Pacific Standard Time) a Robinson R22M, C-FILW, collided with terrain under unknown circumstances 40 nautical miles South-South-East of Prince Rupert, British Colombia, Canada. Lakelse Air was operating the helicopter under the provisions of the Canadian Civil Aviation Regulations. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the helicopter was destroyed. The wreckage was in a wooded area near the intended destination. The parts were spread over 100 meters. One main rotor blade was 150 meters from the main wreckage. According to the following excerpt from the official Canadian accident report:
"On February 21st 2004 at 05:54 UTC Bear Creek Contracting Ltd. contacted Prince Rupert FSS to advise that C-FILW, a Robinson R22 owned by the company was missing.The helicopter had departed Prince Rupert's industrial area on a company note on February 20th at 19:51 UTC but didn't reach its intended destination 30 nautical miles to the south.
The owner then alerted the Rescue Coordination Centre at 06:16 UTC. The search area was from Prince Rupert to Kumealon Inlet, but the initial search produced negative results. CF Buffalo R451 homed an ELT to position 53'56.5" North, 13'004.5" West, approximately 6 nautical miles north of the destination. The aircraft had been on track. SAR Techs were lowered and confirmed the aircraft and one fatality. RCMP and Coroner were transported to the site.
There was a later legal case in March 2007 involving this accident, when the pilot's widow sued for compensation (see link #4):
"Pilot's wife sues chopper builder
Mar, 19 2007 - 11:20 PM
VANCOUVER/CKNW (AM980) - The wife of a North Vancouver man killed in a 2004 helicopter crash near Prince Rupert is suing the company which built the helicopter. 45 year old Rodney van Humbeck died when the helicopter he was piloting crashed into a wooded area south of Prince Rupert in February 2004. Now, his wife is suing the Robinson Helicopter Company which manufactured the R-22 van Humbeck was flying.
In documents filed in BC Supreme Court, Lois van Humbeck claims negligent manufacture caused the helicopter to break-up in mid-flight. van Humbeck was alone in the chopper when the crash occurred".
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: LAX04WA164 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?_ev_id=20040318X00337&ntsbno=LAX04WA164&akey=1
2. CADORS: 2004P0208
3. TSB Canada: AVIATION INVESTIGATION REPORT A04P0033 at http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2004/a04p0033/a04p0033.pdf
4. http://www.robinsonhelicopters.org/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=53&topic=107.0
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 18-Feb-2015 19:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 18-Feb-2015 19:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source] |
| 28-Sep-2016 00:10 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Sep-2016 00:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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