Grand Forks plane crash attributed to ‘mechanical issue,’ says TSB

This month’s plane crash near Grand Forks’ airport was caused by “a mechanical issue,” according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).

A TSB spokesperson said the pilot of an ultralight plane lost engine power shortly after taking off at around 9 a.m., June 18. The pilot, a man in his 60s, then crash-landed in an orchard roughly 100 metres northwest of the runway. He was able to get himself out of the plane under his own strength, having sustained minor injuries in the crash, according to Grand Forks RCMP.

READ MORE: Plane crash lands into Grand Forks orchard, pilot uninjured

READ MORE: Pilot, passenger survive ultralight plane crash

Investigators later found a mixture of water and fuel in the engine’s carburetor, which the TSB said caused the engine to cut out, the spokesperson said.

The TSB is an independent body that investigates accidents involving air and marine transport and federally regulated rail lines and pipelines. While the board strives to identify causes and “contributing factors” behind accidents, its findings don’t assign fault or determine criminal or civil liability, according to its website.

@ltritsch1
laurie.tritschler@grandforksgazette.ca
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