Canada Mirrors NTSB on Caravan Recommendations

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board has made recommendations in line with the growing concern from the FAA and NTSB about the safety of Cessna 208 Caravans in icing conditions. The TSB recommendations to Transport Canada mirror those made to the FAA last month by the NTSB, namely that Caravans be restricted from flying in more than forecast “light” icing and that operators maintain a minimum cruise speed of 120 knots during icing conditions to prevent a stall. Canada’s warning follows the Caravan fatal accident in Winnipeg, Manitoba, last October (when the pilot reported encountering ice four minutes after takeoff) and three other accidents in Canada. In all, the TSB studied 19 icing encounters by Caravans from 1990 to 2005 that resulted in 42 fatalities. The TSB forwarded its recommendations to the FAA with the suggestion that it revise the certification of Caravans to prohibit flight in icing.