VANCOUVER — A Kelowna, B.C.-bound airplane crashed at a busy intersection just short of the runway at Vancouver International Airport Thursday, killing the pilot and sending 10 others to hospital.
Richmond RCMP confirmed Friday morning that the pilot died of his injuries. The co-pilot is in critical condition with burns to 80% cent of his body.
Bill Yearwood, regional manager of the federal transportation safety board, said the plane had departed YVR but reported “an indication of a problem” in the area of Golden Ears Provincial Park. He said the nature of the problem did not cause the crew to declare an emergency.
The twin-engined airplane, operated by Northern Thunderbird Air, was returning and cleared to land, but is believed to have clipped a lamp post before veering and hitting a vehicle containing two people, said Don Ehrenholz, YVR’s vice-president of operations and engineering, and Cpl. Sherrdean Turley of Richmond RCMP.
The eight others, including the two people from the vehicle, were in serious condition.
The plane burst into flames upon impact, about 900 metres short of the runway.
The crash occurred shortly after 4 p.m. at the intersection of Gilbert Road and Russ Baker Way. Bridges around YVR, including the No. 2 Road Bridge, were closed into the evening, disrupting the afternoon commute.
Terry McBratney, a Metro Vancouver district supervisor for BC Ambulance who was at the scene of the crash, said it was “amazing anyone survived.”
The twin-engined airplane, operated by Northern Thunderbird Air is believed to have clipped a lamp post before veering and hitting a vehicle containing two people
The plane landed when there was a break in traffic, he said.
“It was lucky. If the plane had landed 30 seconds later, it would have taken out a row of cars.”
McBratney said the plane took out a light standard and part of a concrete median, losing its propeller along the way.
Nikolai Jensen was walking in the area when he saw the plane going sideways, “one wing was dipping down,” he said. “It was coming straight for me, of all people to go towards, I’m alone and this plane’s coming straight for me.”
He said the plane was trying to use the road straight in front of it as a runway. By the time it stopped it was only about nine metres (30 feet) away from him. “I was thanking the maker by then,” he said, “and I’m not a very religious man.”
He told Global News that when the plane came to a halt, people in cars around the crash jumped out and rushed toward the wreckage to help. “They were dragging these people out,” he said. “ … Way before police arrived or anyone.”
He said the rescuers seemed unfazed by the burning wreckage — they just wanted to save peoples’ lives despite the risk to their own.
“Heroic qualities really,” he said.
Richmond RCMP confirmed Friday morning that the pilot died of his injuries. The co-pilot is in critical condition with burns to 80% cent of his body.
Bill Yearwood, regional manager of the federal transportation safety board, said the plane had departed YVR but reported “an indication of a problem” in the area of Golden Ears Provincial Park. He said the nature of the problem did not cause the crew to declare an emergency.
The twin-engined airplane, operated by Northern Thunderbird Air, was returning and cleared to land, but is believed to have clipped a lamp post before veering and hitting a vehicle containing two people, said Don Ehrenholz, YVR’s vice-president of operations and engineering, and Cpl. Sherrdean Turley of Richmond RCMP.
The eight others, including the two people from the vehicle, were in serious condition.
The plane burst into flames upon impact, about 900 metres short of the runway.
The crash occurred shortly after 4 p.m. at the intersection of Gilbert Road and Russ Baker Way. Bridges around YVR, including the No. 2 Road Bridge, were closed into the evening, disrupting the afternoon commute.
Terry McBratney, a Metro Vancouver district supervisor for BC Ambulance who was at the scene of the crash, said it was “amazing anyone survived.”
The twin-engined airplane, operated by Northern Thunderbird Air is believed to have clipped a lamp post before veering and hitting a vehicle containing two people
The plane landed when there was a break in traffic, he said.
“It was lucky. If the plane had landed 30 seconds later, it would have taken out a row of cars.”
McBratney said the plane took out a light standard and part of a concrete median, losing its propeller along the way.
Nikolai Jensen was walking in the area when he saw the plane going sideways, “one wing was dipping down,” he said. “It was coming straight for me, of all people to go towards, I’m alone and this plane’s coming straight for me.”
He said the plane was trying to use the road straight in front of it as a runway. By the time it stopped it was only about nine metres (30 feet) away from him. “I was thanking the maker by then,” he said, “and I’m not a very religious man.”
He told Global News that when the plane came to a halt, people in cars around the crash jumped out and rushed toward the wreckage to help. “They were dragging these people out,” he said. “ … Way before police arrived or anyone.”
He said the rescuers seemed unfazed by the burning wreckage — they just wanted to save peoples’ lives despite the risk to their own.
“Heroic qualities really,” he said.
