MRU student training flights resume while search continues for cause of two-fatality crash

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Student flights in Mount Royal University’s aviation program resumed Monday despite remaining questions over what led to a crash that killed two instructors two weeks ago.

MRU officials also on Monday reversed their position the Feb. 13 accident in the Waiparous area northwest of Calgary that killed Reynold Johnson and Jeff Bird was the first deadly incident suffered by its flight training program.

They said the Transportation Safety Board has revealed that three other fatal flights have occurred within the program since 1973, in at least 14 safety incidents recorded by the federal body.

The university is confident faculty and student safety isn’t being compromised by starting flights that were suspended after the deaths of Bird and Johnson, said Duane Anderson, MRU’s vice-president of administrative services.

“We believe our program is very safe, the planes are very safe and we do not have any indications there are any issues with the people or the aircraft,” said Anderson, adding the flights will emphasize taking preliminary precautions.

“We are making a deliberate and cautious approach in making a return to the air.”

Instructors returned to the air last week and student flights this week will include sorties over the same foothills area where the Feb. 13 incident occurred, said Anderson.

“We understand it’ll be an emotional experience and supports are in place for every student,” he said.

The program — which counts 66 enrolled students —  will be using its remaining two Italian-made twin-engined Tecnam aircraft, the same type involved in the Feb. 13 crash.

MRU officials have said engines on all three of the aircraft were replaced two years ago after reaching the end of their service lives.

Also on Monday, an accident investigator said it will be a challenging task to determine exactly what caused the crash.

Fred Burow of the Transportation Safety Board said the plane’s major components were destroyed in the crash and the resulting fire. The aircraft also wasn’t carrying — nor was it required to carry — a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder.

“The absence of these recorders does make the investigation more challenging,” Burow said at a briefing in Edmonton. “The so-called black boxes that are required in larger aircraft do make things easier for the investigation and do bring a lot more data to it.”

The TSB said the aircraft descended rapidly after its last contact was made from 2,400 metres above sea level and was fully intact just before it struck the ground.

MRU said its aviation program’s first fatality occurred in 1973 in a crash at Springbank Airport that killed flyer Al Milne.

The following year, instructor and former armed forces pilot Victor Jewitt, 51, was killed in a crash while flying for a college contracted by Mount Royal.

A mid-air collision in 1989 cost the life of Calgary pilot Rodger Millie, 38.

Burow said it’s too early to say whether the crash was caused by mechanical failure or a medical issue with one of the pilots. Investigators are still sifting through the wreckage and Burow says the aircraft’s maintenance history has been requested.

“I’d like to stress if, during the investigation, there are any safety concerns that have to be dealt with immediately, we co-ordinate that with the regulator — Transport Canada — the manufacturer and we get that information out right away,” he said. “At this time, we don’t have anything like that.”