Posted on 12/29/2023 5:59:47 AM PST by billorites
As of 11 a.m. Mountain Time today, rescue helicopters were expected to be en route to help extract occupants of a de Havilland Twin Otter twin turboprop on a private charter flight, operated by Air Tindi of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. The aircraft went down for unknown reasons on a frozen lake near its intended destination some 300 kilometers (162 nautical miles) northeast of Yellowknife, around noon yesterday (Dec. 27). All 10 on board, eight passengers and two crew members, survived, some with minor to “moderate to serious” injuries, later said to be possible broken bones.
Three rescue technicians parachuted from a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-130H Hercules to assist the occupants. The big four-engine turboprop circled for about an hour until weather abated enough for the three to jump around 7 p.m. MT last night. They brought shelter and medical supplies to treat the victims.
The cause of the downing remains unclear. Air Tindi President Chris Reynolds told reporters this morning that extreme winds and weather had hampered rescue efforts overnight. At 7:30 a.m. MT, he told Canadian news outlet Cabin Radio, “The best update I can give you is that the winds have come down significantly. They’re still strong, but the visibility has increased—much better than yesterday. At first light [approximately 10:15 a.m. MT], we’re launching helicopters from Yellowknife up there, and then coordinating with [Department of National Defence] getting everybody back here.”
Assistance also came from the Rio Tinto Corporation-owned diamond mine in nearby Diavik. A Rio Tinto spokesperson said the mine’s emergency response team reached the crash site on snowmobiles about 9 p.m. “They brought survival and medical equipment, provided assistance to the affected individuals and supported the Department of Defence’s search and rescue specialists,” the spokesperson told Cabin Radio in an email.
(Excerpt) Read more at avweb.com ...
You otter be ashamed of yourself.
Lots of twin Otters on floats. You can put the propellers into beta pitch which allows the Otter to “back up” on the water.
🤦♂️😉😜😁.............................
Flew on one from Seattle area to Lake Tetachuck in BC.
Not a flying slug but a flying box car.
I wondered why people were so bent out of shape about an otter.
Didn’t realize it was a plane.
The otter, the beaver… why name aircraft after animals that love to splash in the water? Seems ominous. :-).
Oh Ward!
Earlier this year, I was surprised to learn that otters could live in salt water.
Now, at the end of the year, I am surprised to find out that they could fly.
A good friend is a former Navy rescue swimmer. I’d trust him with my life without reservation
Another friend has a a retired Air Force Para-rescue. I don’t know him as well but have the same trust.
I am not quite sure I know what you are talking about.
I do know what I am talking about, and, having flown a Twin Otter for two or so years, I can testify that it is a most excellent utilitarian aircraft that does precisely what it was designed to do very well, without fuss or fanfare!
And has been doing so since 1965!
DeHavilland designed a winner!
Read all about it at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Canada_DHC-6_Twin_Otter.
Does seem ominous. LOL
...and not too far fetched considering floats, skis, and flying in the far North and South.
The airframe of that flying slug is strong an robust. Unfortunately, it flies in some of the most trying conditions of terrain and weather. It will fly along most happily on one engine.
I have no idea what happened. The pilots will tell us. It is certified for flying in known icing conditions. I would suspect fuel starvation due to a massive error in fueling or fuel contamination leading to fuel starvation. Ice in fuel is bad, very bad.
A very odd crash happened at Heathrow Airport a few years ago. A 777 experienced fuel starvation over London due to extreme cold on a flight from Japan to Heathrow. Filters in the fuel system clogged due to wax that formed in the fuel due to the extreme cold temp of the fuel after an over the arctic flight. In effect the pilots had a glider over London with a couple of hundred people on board. The pilots were skilled and got the plane to Heathrow but landed short. They were out of altitude, speed, and power. Injuries were few and minor. Those pilots are to be commended.
The TwOtter is a fantastic, rugged aircraft for a variety of purposes. It’s perhaps the best bush plane ever. Still has its limitations, though.
“Diving for the deck” is a standard TwOtter approach ... It can certainly be alarming the first few times, but you do get used to it.
DHC3 Otter, also with radial engine, on floats:
DHC6 Twin Otter, on floats:
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