A Richmond pilot whose plane crashed in Ontario in May, killing himself and three passengers, hadn’t logged any night-time flights and seemed to have excessive weight on his plane.
The Transportation Safety Board released its investigation into the crash of the plane flown by Richmond resident Abhinav Handa.
One passenger, Hankun Hong, was also from Richmond.
Also on the plane was a 36-year-old Gene Lahrkamp, who was wanted by the police in Thailand in connection with the Feb. 4 murder of Jimi Sandhu.
The TSB noted the pilot was supposed to log five night-time landings and five night-time takeoffs within the last six months before flying with passengers at night, but Handa hadn’t logged any.
The Piper single-engine plane was also apparently loaded with about 170 pounds of cargo in excess of what is allowed for this plane.
The plane left Dryden, Ont. at 9 p.m. enroute to Marathan Aerodrome, Ont., and was last seen on radar zig-zagging at 9:45 p.m. over an area with no lights.
It was reported overdue at 1:39 a.m.
The TSB report explains how the plane hit a heavily wooded area about 19 miles southeast of Sioux Lookout in northern Ontario.
The plane seemed to enter the forest at a 90 degree angle, indicating control of the plane had been lost, and crashed about 100 feet after initially coming in contact with the trees.
The weather forecast called for light rain and fog.
The TSB report doesn’t assign blame, rather its purpose is to give information to improve safety.
The investigation concluded that areas with no cultural lighting or deteriorating weather can lead to “spatial disorientation and a loss of control of the plane.”
