Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigators today were still at the site of Thursday night’s crash of a privately operated Cessna Citation 500 that killed the one pilot and three passengers, including former Alberta premier Jim Prentice. Registered to Norjet Geotechnologies as C-GTNG, the twinjet departed Kelowna, British Columbia, at 9:32 p.m. local destined for Calgary/Springbank Airport. The aircraft struck terrain approximately seven miles north of Kelowna Airport eight minutes after takeoff.
“The aircraft was destroyed from high deceleration forces after a vertical descent,” according to investigators. There were no emergency or distress calls made, and no ELT signal was received. The jet was not equipped with, nor was it required to carry, a CVR or FDR. “However, the [investigation] team will be reviewing any electronic components on the aircraft from which they can retrieve data to help understand the flight profile,” TSB officials said.
Calgary-based Norjet released the following statement: “Last night Norjet lost friends in the tragic crash near Kelowna and we are struggling to cope with that loss. We are shocked and grief-stricken. We will do everything necessary to fully cooperate with the Transportation Safety Board, and any other investigating authority. Norjet is committed to releasing more information once we have it ourselves. Until that time, we join with Canadians in expressing our heartbreak over the loss of four irreplaceable and cherished individuals. Our deepest condolences go out to their families, and our thoughts are with them at this time.”
Besides Prentice, other fatalities known to date include the pilot, Jim Kruk, and passenger Ken Gellatly.