B.C. plane crash that injured 5 caused by contaminated fuel, investigation finds

The pilot and four passengers aboard the Wilderness Seaplanes aircraft sustained minor injuries when the plane went down shortly after takeoff on Dec. 18, 2023. (Transportation Safety Board of Canada)

An investigation into a plane crash that injured five people in British Columbia in 2023 has found that the aircraft’s fuel was contaminated with water, causing both engines to fail in the moments before the collision.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says the plane’s operator was “unaware” of the agency’s guidelines on properly storing aircraft fuel inside drums to prevent water from entering.

The pilot and four passengers aboard the Wilderness Seaplanes aircraft sustained minor injuries when the plane went down shortly after takeoff on Dec. 18, 2023.

According to the TSB investigation report released Thursday, the Grumman Goose seaplane was refuelled from a drum before taking off from the central B.C. coast community of Bella Bella.

The plane experienced dual engine failure on its flight to the Vancouver Island community of Port Hardy, according to the findings, which described the craft as “substantially damaged” in the crash.

Investigators say refuelling drums should be stored on their side with safeguards, such as filters, to prevent and detect water mixing with the fuel.

The report also found that clear procedures for proper refuelling were not provided, and regular fuel sampling requirements were ignored.

“These gaps in storage, handling, and inspection created conditions for contaminated fuel to enter the aircraft’s system, ultimately leading to the loss of engine power and the forced landing,” the safety board wrote.

The agency says the company has since changed its procedures to make regular sampling mandatory, and has equipped its planes with clear containers to simplify fuel sampling from the cockpit.

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