The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has identified poor weather conditions and time pressures as contributing factors in a plane crash that occurred west of Calgary on July 28, 2023.
The incident involved a Piper PA-32R aircraft that had departed from Springbank Airport, bound for Salmon Arm, British Columbia.
Investigators report that the pilot did not fully comprehend the weather conditions at the time of takeoff and continued flying despite poor visibility.
The safety board discovered that the pilot did not obtain a free weather briefing from Nav Canada. Instead, he relied on information from the internet and a person at the airport.
The plane crashed into a mountain approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of the pilot and all five passengers.
Search and rescue teams found the wreckage on the east slope of Mount McGillivray the morning after the crash, guided by signals from the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter.