Story ID: 508272012safety
Turboprop Crash Report Released
By: AIN Staff
Caption: 
Word Count: 243
Two pilots and the company they flew for, Aéropro, were mainly responsible for the June 23, 2010 crash of a Canadian-registered Beech King Air A100, according to the final accident report released by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada on August 20.

The two pilots and their five passengers were killed when, just after takeoff, the aircraft struck the ground a mile-and-a-half beyond the end of Runway 30 at Québec City/Jean Lesage International Airport (CYQB). The King Air was operating a scheduled IFR flight to Sept-Iles, 355 nm to the northeast. Quebec City weather that morning consisted of high overcast, light wind and visibility in excess of 15 statute miles.

Sixty-eight seconds after the takeoff roll began, the co-pilot told ATC of a right engine problem and requested fire and rescue equipment be ready, followed quickly by a radio call that the aircraft would no longer climb. The aircraft hit the ground and slid 115 feet before striking a berm, where it broke up and caught fire, coming to rest on its back.

The investigation showed that the crew’s failure to feather the right prop reduced the aircraft’s ability to climb. The TSB said that while the pilots met all training requirements on paper, they were not prepared to manage such an emergency effectively.

Operator Aéropro was also cited as a contributing factor for its “poor safety culture” and “acceptance of unsafe practices.”