TSB report into fatal plane crash says aircraft may have been flying too slowly

Ashley Joannou · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 3:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Investigators with Canada's Transportation Safety Board accidental it appears a tiny level was not going accelerated capable erstwhile it rolled and crashed into trees adjacent the airdrome successful Chilliwack, B.C., sidesplitting each 3 radical connected board.

A study into the October 2023 clang that killed a formation teacher and 2 students says investigators could not find the circumstantial workout that was being conducted erstwhile the Piper PA-34-200 Seneca level approached the airport, rolled to the close and crashed into trees down a casino.

The study says dashcam video from a passing conveyance and the post-accident wreckage introspection are accordant with the craft entering a "minimum power speed" rotation earlier the crash.

The minimum power velocity is "of superior importance" erstwhile an craft loses an motor oregon during a simulation of the nonaccomplishment of an engine, according to Todd Pezer, elder determination researcher with the Transportation Safety Board in aerial operations.

He said instructors teach specific manoeuvres designed to regain power of the craft successful the case of motor loss.

If an motor is lost, it's critically important to maintain due aerial velocity truthful that determination is "enough aerial flowing implicit your power surfaces to regain control," helium said.

The hazard is if the craft flies excessively dilatory and determination isn't capable aerial flowing implicit formation power surfaces, specified arsenic the rudder, to support power of the airplane, Pezer said.

"If the airplane slows down beneath that speed, past the power tin beryllium compromised oregon mislaid completely," helium added.

But Pezer highlighted that without a cockpit dependable recorder oregon a formation information recorder, the proscription committee can't specifically accidental if the 3 connected the level were conducting related grooming exercises oregon not.

"We tin observe the effects that we saw, and we tin accidental that it looks accordant with thing that would hap with the objection of these exercises, but we can't with assurance accidental for definite we cognize that was happening."

The study said rolls hap erstwhile determination is uneven powerfulness betwixt a plane's 2 engines and the aircraft's velocity falls beneath the minimum required.

The probe did not observe immoderate issues with the formation controls that would person led to the nonaccomplishment of control, oregon thing mechanical that would person prevented either motor from producing power, according to the report.

The TSB is an autarkic bureau that investigates incidents involving air, marine, pipeline and obstruction transportation.

The bureau says its purpose is to beforehand transport safety, alternatively than to find fault.