Transportation Safety Board investigators sift through the wreckage of the downed Keystone Air flight which took the lives of four and injured one on its approach to North Spirit Lake First Nation, Jan. 10. Photo courtesy Transportation Safety Board

This story comes to us courtesy of our sister paper, Red Lake’s Northern Sun News — Ed.

By Jennifer Thurbide, Northern Sun News

Transportation Safety Board officials say it will be months before a conclusive report is made available regarding the plane crash that killed four people last week outside of North Spirit Lake First Nation.

On Jan. 10 a Piper PA13 Navajo flown by Keystone Air departed Winnipeg at 7:15 a.m. with one pilot and four passengers destined for North Spirit Lake First Nation, a remote community approximately 175 km north of Red Lake. The plane crashed on a lake a half mile from the community killing four and injuring one.

The four deceased were identified last Wednesday morning as Aboriginal Strategies Inc. (ASI) President and Carmen, Manitoba resident 62 year-old Ben van Hoek, Accountant Colette Eisinger who was 39 years old and from Winnipeg. Former North Spirit Lake resident Martha Campbell was 38 years old and was residing in Winnipeg also. On January 12th Keystone Air identified the pilot as 41 year old Fariborz Abasabady. The lone survivor, 36 year old Brian Shead, was taken to Winnipeg’s Health Science Centre to be treated for his injuries.

Transportation Safety Board Regional Operations Manager Peter Hildebrand says, “We are gathering information to see whether the airplane was functional at the time. We are looking for the structure, the engine propellers, the controls, the systems (any kind of de-icing systems), electrical, those sorts of things to see if we can tell whether they were working at the time. Then we are going to look at the flight path to see was the airplane in controlled flight or did it indicate a loss of control, where is it located – can we find out what the airplane was doing from witnesses, flying in for the approach, was it doing an overshoot, circling or what have you.”

Over the coming weeks investigators will also review maintenance records, policies and procedures and interview witnesses and next of kin.

Over the weekend the Transportation Safety Board said the investigative team found indications the landing gear was down and flaps were partially extended. Heavy damage was sustained in the fuselage and the right wing area and the wreckage path is approximately 106 metres long. The organization noted no conclusions have been made stating “Analysis of the accident, along with the Findings of the Board will become available when the final report is released.”