Date & Time:
Apr 23, 2007 at 1421 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Registration:
C-GVSG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Aerial photography
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vancouver - Revelstoke
MSN:
31-418
YOM:
1969
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot and the passenger, a photographer, departed Vancouver at 0911LT with 5.5 hours of fuel to conduct a VFR aerial photographic flight over the Arrow Lakes area. At 1420LT, the aircraft entered the circuit at Revelstoke Airport to refuel and to allow the photographer to change camera film. The pilot reportedly selected the landing gear down as the aircraft turned base and heard the gear clunk into position. When the aircraft turned final however, the red in-transit light was illuminated and the nose gear was not visible in the mirror. The pilot selected the gear lever up and down a couple of times but the gear did not extend. When the pilot advanced the throttles to conduct an overshoot, both engines surged and sputtered. The pilot retarded the throttles and conducted a gear-up landing in a grassy area off the end of runway 30. During the landing, the dry 8-inch high grass caught fire. Both occupants escaped from the aircraft that was destroyed by ground fire.
