Small plane crashes in Quebec, killing 7

QUEBEC – A lengthy investigation was launched Wednesday to determine what caused a small plane to crash in a field near the Quebec City airport, killing all seven people on board.

The pilot reported an engine failure shortly before the plane went down.

The twin-engine Beechcraft King Air, owned by Aeropro, had just left the runway when it encountered mechanical problems.

With an amazingly calm voice, the captain told the air control tower at 5:57 a.m. he was not able to gain altitude.

"We have a right engine problem, we’re going to return for landing," the experienced pilot said in a recording.

The plane’s altitude was only about 170 metres at that point. The pilot asked for emergency services assistance in his last conversation.

"We’re unable to climb," the pilot said before communication was lost.

Shortly after, the plane crashed into the backyard of a house, about two kilometres north of the airport, and its load of fuel ignited. The five passengers and two crew members were killed.

The Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation and will be assisted by its American counterpart and the Federal Aviation Administration, since the plane was manufactured and certified in the United States.

TSB lead investigator Andre Turenne said the failure of one engine alone could not have caused the plane to crash. A twin-engine plane is designed to be able to climb with only one engine running.

"We’re puzzled as to how the plane got there in that condition," he said.

Turenne noted there is very little left of the plane, aside from the tail, a wing tip and the burnt air frame.

"We have many parts missing, however we have enough of both engines to do a very good examination of the engines," Turenne said.

The plane crashed through trees roughly 100 metres behind the house of former NHL defenceman Mario Marois, who played with the Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks.

No one on the ground, which is mostly farm land, was injured.

The plane’s debris was barely recognizable. Traces of the blast were noticeable on a handful of charred trees.

Marois’ son told a local radio station he was awakened by a loud noise that sounded like "lightning struck the ground."

Maxime Marois added he heard a second explosion moments later and then ran outside to see the downed plane burst into flames.

Neighbour Denis Guay said he was awakened by the sound of an engine sputtering. Shortly after he heard a big explosion.

"I came out and saw a big ball of fire in the field (in front of his house)," said Guay, who noted the smoke rose 30 metres high.

Jacques Paillard, vice-president of Aeropro, stressed both the captain and the first officer had several years’ experience flying King Air aircraft.

"I really don’t understand what happened," he told a news conference. "It’s an unexplainable tragedy."

Paillard said the plane underwent routine maintenance about 10 days ago and that nothing particular was found. He added there is no black box in this type of aircraft.

Aviation specialist Yvan-Miville Deschenes said it is possible there was a problem with both engines.

"The pilot tried his best, but the manoeuvre did not work," he said. "It’s terrible what happened here this morning because the weather conditions were nice and the winds were calm."

The plane was carrying five passengers, including civil servants, workers from an architecture firm in Quebec City and an engineer – Normand Tremblay, 58. The latter was identified by his employer Cegerco, a firm based in the Saguenay region.

The coroner’s office said the victims will probably not be formally identified until Friday.

The five were headed to a school construction site in Natashquan, on Quebec’s Lower North Shore, with a planned stop in Sept-Iles, about 600 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Aeropro is well known for flying Quebec cabinet ministers and businessmen and news of the plane crash shook politicians in Quebec City. Premier Jean Charest expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

"It’s a shock wave. I know that company very well and almost all MNAs have had to use that very popular type of airplane at one point. And seven lives taken at once is a lot. It’s dramatic, especially on the eve of the St. Jean Baptiste (Quebec’s national holiday)," Charest told reporters in Quebec City.

The company and airport authorities set up an emergency centre for families of the victims at the Jean Lesage International Airport.

The tragedy shook employees of the regional airline, which has been in business since 1988.

"Some of our younger pilots are having a hard time coping with it," said Paillard, Aeropro’s vice-president.

Another small plane crash near Quebec City last month, on l’Isle-aux-Grues, killed four people. The Cessna 172 was owned by a company that does business with Aeropro. It was being used for chartered tourist flights.

Aeropro said Wednesday both downed planes were being serviced by the same maintenance company.