Nechako Valley Search and Rescue (NVSAR) is wishing a pilot well after he walked away with minor injuries when his float plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Fraser Lake.
More than a dozen NVSAR members with three boats were en route to the west end of the lake Sunday, April 25, when they received word of the pilot’s rescue.
Fraser Lake RCMP responded to a call of the crash involving an AME Piper PA-12 aircraft at 7 p.m.
The 73-year-old man was able to get out of the plane and was in the water when a resident in a private boat was able to reach him and take him to shore, RCMP said.
14 NVSAR members with 3 boats were enroute when the good news of the pilot’s rescue was relayed. Wishing him a speed…
Posted by Nechako Valley Search and Rescue on Monday, April 26, 2021
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) confirmed investigators would not be deployed. TSB officials also said the aircraft was conducting a post-maintenance flight over Fraser Lake when it made contact with the lake and nosed over, sustaining what is believed to be substantial damage.
RCMP said several residents in the area reported seeing the plane crash into the lake shortly after takeoff
B.C.’s Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy said a response officer is monitoring the incident due to the concern of potential fuel spill.
A Ministry spokesperson noted the total capacity of fuel for the plane is approximately 40 gallons and that it has been estimated the aircraft had about one-quarter of that amount on board at the time of the incident.
The cause of the crash is not known, and RCMP said there are no concerns regarding criminality.
Read More: Pilot’s decision to fly to B.C. fish camp in poor weather led to 4 deaths, says TSB
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