Crash of a Consolidated PBV-1A Canso near Victoria: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 16, 1967 at 1740 LT
Registration:
CF-FFX
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Victoria - Victoria
MSN:
CV-293
YOM:
1941
Flight number:
Tanker 772
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
53
Circumstances:
The crew was called at 1630LT for a forest fire that erupted on Skirt mountain near Victoria. The crew first made a scooping mission on the Saanich Inlet with more than 1,000 gallons of water. About an hour later, while flying at low height, the left wing of Tanker 772 struck a tree and the airplane crashed. Both pilots were killed, Alex Davidson (founder of The Flying Fireman) and Robert 'Paddy' Moore. The mission was completed on behalf of the BC Forest Service.
Probable cause:
Misjudgement of altitude on part of the flying crew.
Final Report: