
Dec 9: Three Winnipeg airport trucks were observed crossing the hold short line for Runway 31 without clearance while a Keystone Air King Air was cleared to land. The pilot was instructed by the tower to overshoot the runway and land on Runway 36 instead. Aerodrome Safety reported that the driver of the truck suffered from what the aviation industry euphemistically refers to as a momentary brain cramp. The operator's airside vehicle operator's permit was revoked for 48 hours and requires a re-write of the written exam as well as a practical driver's test before his airside privileges are reinstated.
June 4: A wheel-equipped DHC-2T Turbo Beaver with three people on board operated by Dymond Lake Air Service was on a flight from Churchill to Debeer's mining camp about 70 nautical miles west of Churchill where the pilot landed on an esker or ridge. The aircraft nosed over on touchdown, resulting in damage to the propeller and nose. The occupants were not injured and the pilot relayed a message through a Calm Air aircraft that he was okay and would make a shelter awaiting pick-up. The occupants spent the night at the site and were subsequently picked up and taken back to Churchill.
Data indicate industry is 'getting safer' TURBULENT TIMES: 2008 highlights
Manitoba's frequent flyers may have noticed more diversions and more disruptive passengers last year, part of a 25 per cent hike in the number of air travel incidents in the province in 2008.
According to Transport Canada's air travel database, Winnipeg's Richardson International Airport saw an even heftier increase. There were 345 incidents reported in 2007 and 456 incidents reported last year -- a 32 per cent increase.
There's no one reason for the hike, and the number of reported incidents is up all over Canada. Air travel experts say Transport Canada has been pushing pilots, airports and air traffic controllers to report any and all unusual incidents to the database as part of a national safety management program.
RSS Feeds
