While the exact cause of the dramatic plane crash on Russ Baker Way has still to be determined, two more survivors may be released from hospital this week.
Seven passengers, a pilot and a co-pilot were on-board Northern Thunderbird's flight 204 - a Beech King Air 100 bound for Kelowna from YVR - when it reported some difficulty and did a U-turn back to Vancouver around 4 p.m. last Thursday.
About 15 minutes later, about 900 metres shy of YVR's south runway, it banked violently left before nose-diving, clipping a lamp standard and leveling out to crash-land onto the Russ Baker Way and Dinsmore Bridge intersection.
All nine people on board survived the impact and subsequent inferno. However, the pilot, 44-year-old Luc Fortin, of North Vancouver, died from "thermal" injuries on Thursday night in hospital.
Of the other eight, six remain hospitalized at Vancouver General - one (co-pilot) in ICU; three in serious, but stable condition; two in very stable condition (may be released from hospital later this week).
Two other passengers were discharged from hospital before the weekend. Two more people - understood to be passengers in the only car that was hit by the crashing plane - sustained minor injuries and were released from Richmond Hospital the same day.
The horrific scene unfolded in front of a slew of motorists who were waiting at a red light on Russ Baker, many of whom became instant heroes by leaping into the burning fuselage to drag the stricken passengers out.
One of the drivers at the intersection - Jason Chang, who was driving his 11-year-old daughter to a cello lesson - told how he froze when he saw the plane veer left and head straight at him.
"He was wobbling up and down and left and right," Chang said.
"All of a sudden, I think he tried to land and he was coming right for me. I was thinking 'I can't get out of here and I have my daughter.'
"It then took a sharp nosedive and exploded into the road. I couldn't believe what just happened and then there was massive fire and smoke."
Chang said within just a few seconds, drivers were sprinting from their cars towards the flaming wreckage in front of him.
"There were so many people just running towards it. I am now ashamed that I did not do the same. Those people are amazing," he added.
Nikolai Jensen was walking in the area when he saw the plane going sideways, "one wing was dipping down," he said. "It was coming straight for me, of all people to go towards, I'm alone and this plane's coming straight for me."
He said the plane was trying to use the road straight in front of it as a runway. By the time it stopped it was only about nine metres (30 feet) away from him. "I was thanking the maker by then," he said, "and I'm not a very religious man."
Meanwhile, YVR confirmed the plane was making a "routine return, not an emergency return."
An air traffic controller assigned the crew of Northern Thunderbird Air Flight 204 a runway for landing shortly before the crash, asking, "It's confirmed that you don't need any equipment or help?" The pilot replied, "Negative. We're good here at the moment."
With files from Postmedia News
