An update of the investigation of the Office of the Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) on the air tragedy that killed former columnist Jean Lapierre policy and relatives in March, indicates that altitude and speed of the aircraft to approach the runway at the airport of Îles-de-la-Madeleine were higher than those recommended.
The report published Wednesday that the TSB added that the engines of the aircraft Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, flight controls, landing gear and navigation systems showed no mechanical anomaly.
Records indicate that the pilot was certified and qualified for the flight in accordance with existing regulations and that he had attended a training program. He also had accumulated approximately 2,500 flight hours in total including about 140 hours at the controls of this type of aircraft.
The TSB said that after the aircraft instrument approach profile in question, the standard speed before the initial approach fix is 150 knots before slowing in the final approach speed of 125 knots, beyond the final approach fix.
The speed of the aircraft carrying the seven victims before the initial approach fix was 240 knots and beyond the final approach fix, speed dropped below 175 knots.
The United States registered aircraft had left the airport of Saint-Hubert, Longueuil, March 29 at 9:31 Eastern time. The crash occurred shortly after 12:29, Atlantic Time.
One of the next steps of the analysis will TSB to determine why the altitude and speed of the aircraft in the approach were so high.
Besides Jean Lapierre, the victims of this tragedy were his wife, Nicole Beaulieu, his sister, Martine Lapierre, his brothers Marc and Louis Lapierre and two crew members, Pascal Gosselin and Fabrice Labourel.
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