Page 13 - Jan2017
P. 13
Crash Near Fond du Lac
The Dec. 13 plane
crash near Fond-
du-Lac, Sask in
which all but one
on board survived
is remarkable,
says Jock Williams, a retired fighter pilot.
Williams, a retired Royal Canadian Air Force pilot
and aviation expert, says many factors must go right
for a plane crash to end with as little damage as
possible.
West Wind Aviation ATR-42 crashed shortly after
takeoff with 21 of the 22 passengers and three crew
The "Immortal Red Baron" members surviving the crash, though there were
Is a theatrical performance about the most serious injuries.
famous fighter pilot in history. There are eight factors that must go just right, to
Through 2018, the Red Baron will be reduce or eliminate fatalities, to occur: speed,
appearing at air shows across the US and terrain, stop distance, descent speed and angle,
Canada to terrorize the sky. obstacles, rescue equipment and time, fire and
This new approach to aviation control.
entertainment combines narrative story- The ATR-42 plane plowed through about 800 feet of
telling with live-action aerial dog-fighting trees before coming to a stop.
maneuvers, characters in authentic Dozens of locals responded to the crash in its
costumes, propane machine guns, as well
as special themed music and sound effects. immediate aftermath, including Canadian rangers.
Though the plane had been shredded by the crash
"The Immortal Red Baron" is an and there was jet fuel leaking all over, there was no
unprecedented production without equal. fire.
It is the first of its kind, whose goal is to Williams suspects the ATR-42 pilots flew "into" the
create an exceptional audience experience crash and bravely kept control of the aircraft
by delivering the best product in the throughout the whole ordeal because if they'd
industry. decelerated to zero knots in a matter of six inches,
believe me, everybody on that plane would be
deceased, Williams said.
Investigators will analyze two recorders to figure out
what happened onboard the plane, which crashed
shortly after taking off from Fond-du-Lac.
The 50-passenger plane is required to carry a
immortalredbaron@gmail.com cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder,
306-241-2793 according to a spokesperson with the
Site 408 Box 10 RR4 Transportation Safety Board (TSB).
Saskatoon, Sk. Canada S7K 3J7
