(Gatineau, Quebec, May 26, 2005) - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) today releases its final report (A04W0114) into the crash of a Cessna aircraft into the waters of Talston River, Northwest Territories, on June 7, 2004. During its investigation, the TSB found that the survivors were unable to locate the interior door handles after the seaplane became inverted and submerged in the water. The TSB has taken action and issued an Aviation Safety Advisory to Transport Canada with a copy to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Cessna Aircraft on the subject of emergency passenger egress. The TSB has also issued a Safety Information Letter to the same recipients regarding pre-flight briefings and safety-feature cards. The Board is concerned that seaplanes may not be optimally designed to allow easy occupant egress after a survivable accident. On June 7, 2004, a Big River Air Ltd. Cessna A185F seaplane was carrying three passengers from Four Mile Lake to a site on the Talston River known as Ferguson's Cabin. At approximately 5 p.m. mountain daylight time, as the aircraft was landing on the river, the left float dug in and the left wing struck the water. The aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest floating upside down in the river, with only the bottoms of the floats visible at the surface. The pilot and the front-seat passenger sustained serious injuries; however, they managed to escape the submerged cabin through a broken window in the left cabin door. The rear-seat occupants drowned; one was found inside the aircraft, and the second was found two days later, near the crash site. The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. - 30 - For further information: John Cottreau Media Relations Advisor (819) 994-8053
