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TSB releases report on Drayton Valley accident

The pilot, who was the sole person on board, was on a flight under visual flight rules (VFR) from Whitecourt, Alta. to the Drayton Valley Industrial Airport. VFR rules are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions clear enough to allow the pilot to see the ground and avoid obstructions and other aircraft. While en route, the pilot encountered instrument weather conditions and was forced to descend through a cloud layer to land. Neither the pilot nor the aircraft were certified for instrument flight. During descent through the clouds, the pilot lost spatial awareness and did not slow the aircraft's rate of descent prior to impact with the ground. The pilot was fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. There was no post-impact fire.

Since the accident, all of Rotorworks' pilots have received human factors and pilot decision-making training. This training is designed to help pilots become
aware of how to better manage risks associated with flying.