When a hunter found the crumpled remains of an airplane fuselage in a nature reserve in the Canadian province of British Columbia early this month, he notified the Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). They started an investigation into the suspected plane crash, but immediately made a number of striking findings: there were no remains of crew members. And the wings were also gone.
An investigation team was sent to the remote mountainside site to investigate the ‘accident’. Their first conclusion: the crash must have happened at least twenty years ago. There was no sign of any occupants and the Cessna’s engine and wings were also missing.
Transport Canada published a report Tuesday on the wreckage north of Kamloops, British Columbia. According to the Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System, little was known about the plane other than that it was “destroyed,” probably in a crash. Parts of the device may have been taken by local tribes. But the researchers did not receive much cooperation.
Researchers delved into the archives in search of missing aircraft, hoping to find a lead. Because not even an identification number was found on the crashed plane, which is normally present on every aircraft. Unfortunately, that also did not yield a useful trail.’
Declaration
Until the Canadian Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (Casara) made itself heard this week. They dropped the old plane on the mountain themselves to practice rescue operations.
When planes crash in the Canadian wilderness, chances are it will take a long time before the wreckage is found. In one case, a large military transport aircraft with 44 crew members and passengers on board disappeared in the northern Yukon Territory. Despite a major search, not even a trace of it was ever found.
In an effort to avoid such scenarios, search and rescue teams practice on old wrecks that they drop in the wilderness. So the mystery is solved.
Lunch Update
Daily update of the most important news during lunch.
