High drama at Castlegar airport ends well
By Kyra Hoggan
A terrifying high-air emergency kept Castlegar emergency crews busy Friday afternoon, when an Air Canada airplane with 25 people (22 passengers and three crew members) on board reported engine failure immediately after taking off from Castlegar.
The plane, destined for Calgary, took off at 11:50 a.m., but radioed the airport just seven minutes later with an urgent S.O.S call.
Castlegar RCMP Cpl. Debbie Postnikoff said Air Canada Jazz flight 847 had lost one engine and was potentially facing failure of its second (it’s a twin-engine aircraft), and thus had to turn around and effect an emergency landing at West Kootenay Regional Airport in Castlegar.
“I spoke to one of the passengers who heard a ‘pop’ and saw the propeller outside her window was no longer working,” she said. “Can you even imagine?”
Eight emergency vehicles (two police, two ambulances, the airport emergency truck, two fire trucks, and a command vehicle) followed the plane along the apron of the runway as it landed, with B.C. Ambulance routing ambulances to Castlegar from other communities as a precaution.
Luckily, none of the emergency crews were necessary, as the plane landed without incident, according to Castlegar fire chief, and airport manager, Gerry Rempel.
“We’re not sure, yet, why the engine failed,” Rempel said, adding the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the engine failure in the days to come.
“No one was injured, and staff got passengers onto another flight right away,” he said. “To the best of my knowledge, none were reluctant to board another plane after their ordeal.”
He said the airport instituted emergency procedures already in place in case of just such a circumstance, and everything went like clockwork.
“I think Air Canada did a whiz-bang of a job,” he said, particularly commending the trained pilots who brought the limping craft to a safe landing.
“I am so impressed at local emergency services,” said Postnikoff. “We had only minutes, literally, to respond to what could have been a very devastating situation. I was dumbfounded at how quickly everyone reacted.
“While I was waiting to speak to the crew, I went into (the room where) the passengers were, and spoke to them as a group. It was great to be able to reassure them by telling them who was here, waiting and ready to respond, had things gone poorly. They applauded.
“Most of the passengers were very calm and impressed by the way Air Canada staff handled the situation. It’s largely because of them that everyone stayed so calm.”
The investigation continues.
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