Plane that crashed near Edmonton was conducting training: TSB

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it has conducted a preliminary survey of the site of a fatal plane crash near Edmonton late last week.

On Friday, three people were killed when a small plane crashed in a field near Highway 623 about 22 kilometres east of the Edmonton International Airport.

The victims’ names have not been released but an official with the Cooking Lake Airport told Global News one of the three people on board was a flying instructor.

The plane was an amateur-built Murphy SR3500, also known as the Murphy Moose, the TSB said Monday. The four-seat aircraft, which has wheels that extend from its floats, took off from the Cooking Lake Airport Friday morning to “conduct training towards a seaplane rating,” according to the TSB.

“After a touch and go on a lake to the east of Cooking Lake, the flight proceeded to the southwest. While maneuvering in the vicinity of Rolly View, Alta., the aircraft departed controlled flight and collided with terrain,” the TSB said in a media release Monday.

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TSB investigators went to the crash site and spent three days documenting the aircraft, interviewing witnesses and collecting data. The wreckage was removed from the scene and moved to the TSB office in Edmonton.

1:21 Alberta plane crash leaves 3 people dead

Over the next few days, technical examination of the plane and its engine will take place. Two GPS units that were recovered from the wreckage are being sent to the TSB lab in Ottawa for further analysis.

In the coming days, investigators will analyze weather information to see if weather was a factor. Aircraft maintenance records, pilot training, qualifications and proficiency records will also be examined, according to the TSB.

The team will also look into previous incidents involving this type of plane in Canada, the United States and other jurisdictions.

“Investigations are complex and we take the time needed to complete a thorough investigation,” the TSB said. “However, should the investigation team uncover safety deficiencies that present an immediate risk, the board will communicate them without delay.”