Plane that crashed near Thompson had wrong fuel: investigators

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/09/2015 (3136 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigators have confirmed that a plane which crashed just outside Thompson Sept. 15 had the wrong kind of fuel.

The Keystone Air Service Piper PA31-350, registration C-FXLO and operating as flight KEE208 bound for Winnipeg, crashed about 1.6 kilometres southwest of the Thompson airport shortly after taking off at 6:22 p.m.

Shortly after takeoff on Runway 06, the TSBC said in a news release this morning, ”The crew experienced a malfunction and alerted the Thompson Flight Service Station that they were returning for Runway 06. The aircraft collided with terrain approximately one nautical mile southwest of the Thompson airport. Emergency medical services crews responded to the scene and all eight occupants survived and were taken to hospital with varying injuries.

“A large number of technical and operational documents have been gathered and are being reviewed by investigation team members. Numerous interviews have been conducted with crew, passengers and individuals from various organizations,” said the federal agency.

“The ongoing investigation has confirmed that the aircraft received an incorrect type of fuel in Thompson prior to departing for Winnipeg. The twin piston-engine aircraft requires aviation gasoline (AvGas), but was re-fueled with turbine engine fuel (Jet A1).”

The aircraft was destroyed by impact with trees and terrain; however, the aircraft cabin section remained largely intact, the investigation found. Almost all of the fuel was dispersed throughout the crash site from ruptured fuel cells but a sufficient quantity remained to obtain samples. There was no post-impact fire.

Keystone president Cliff Arlt said at the time of the crash that the Navajo Chieftain “may have been fueled with jet fuel in error, by the aircraft refuelers, rather than Avgas, as would have been required for the Navajo.”

The Transportation Safety Board confirmed six passengers and two pilots were on board.

RCMP said none of the injuries was considered life-threatening.

“All either unhurt or stable,” confirmed Manitoba RCMP spokesman Sgt. Bert Paquet.

The ongoing investigation will include:

• Further examination of aircraft fueling procedures and practices.
• Conducting additional interviews as required.
• Additional examination of aircraft wreckage.
• Laboratory analysis of fuel samples.

This is the second crash involving Keystone Air Service in the last few years.

In January 2012, a Piper Navajo — also operated by Keystone Air Service — crashed near a remote Northern Ontario community, killing four people after it departed Winnipeg.

The plane burst into flames after the crash, killing the pilot and three passengers, but one of the passengers survived.