Runway lights were on, snow was falling in plane crash that killed Brampton couple
Airport community in Burlington 'struggling to deal with the loss'
The runway lights were on and it was snowing when the plane carrying a husband and wife from Brampton rapidly dropped from the sky and crashed into the grass near a runway at the Brantford Municipal Airport.
It was around 1:19 a.m. Tuesday when the Piper Arrow hit the turf and skidded to the stop, according to Transportation Safety Board (TSB) spokesperson Chris Krepski.
"The aircraft was in a left bank with a high descent rate at the time of impact," he explained.
After two days examining the damaged plane, investigators know that much, but are still working to determine what caused the crash that killed Ronald Chamberlain, 76 and his wife Mildred, 81.
One of the pieces of possible evidence they're examining is a series of more than 20 clicking sequences that could indicate the couple circled the air field for almost 40 minutes, trying to remotely turn on the runway lights before crashing in the dark and snow.
TSB investigating air traffic control audio
The clicking can be heard among the static on archived air traffic control audio for the airport on the night of the crash starting around 12:40 a.m. and ending at 1:14 a.m. — about five minutes before officials say the plane came down.
That timeframe seems to correspond with the account of a nearby resident who told CBC News he heard a low-flying aircraft "circling and circling" the airport between 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. that night.
Based on the information we have been able to gather, the lights were on at the time of the crash.- Chris Krepski, TSB
The repetitive series of four or five quick clicks are similar to the sounds a pilot would generate using the cockpit radio to remotely turn on the runway lights at a smaller, local airport.
A spokesperson for the City of Brantford said the airport is staffed from dawn until dusk. Outside of those hours, pilots have the ability to control lights on airport's longest runway so they can safely land in the dark.
By pressing the push to talk switch on their radio a specific number of times [generally 3,5 or 7] within a certain time period, pilots can activate the lights and control their intensity, according to Krepski.
He added the TSB is aware of the audio recordings and will be "taking a closer look," although at this point officials don't know who was doing the clicking.
"It's too early to say what they mean, whether or not it was the aircraft in question that activated or another aircraft or ground station that activated them or there were multiple attempts to activate due to a malfunction in the system."
He added, "based on the information we have been able to gather, the lights were on at the time of the crash."
The TSB has quarantined the aircraft and plan to bring it to a facility in Richmond Hill for further examination.
"We're still getting information together about pilot training and aircraft maintenance, more information about weather …and radar," said Krepski.
A 'diligent pilot' who loved his plane
The crash has shaken the local flying community, especially at the Burlington airport, where Ronald Chamberlain kept his plane.
Tim Crawford, a pilot manages business for the airport, said he was "cross-taxiway neighbours" with Chamberlain and knew him since 1995.
"He loved flying and he was an accomplished pilot," he said. "Everyone in the airport community is just shaking their heads, trying to figure out what could have possibly happened to make things end up so tragically."
Crawford describes Chamberlain as a "diligent pilot" who loved flying so much he'd often take his wife up just for fun.
The veteran pilot also made a name for himself at the airport as an active member of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) For Kids program. Chamberlain said they'd volunteer their time and take dozens of kids on flights.
"Everybody is struggling to deal with the loss."
Down on the tarmac, other pilots would sometimes gently tease Chamberlain by pronouncing his plane's call sign — C-GDUM — as Charlie, Golf, Dumb. But that plane was his pride and joy.
"It was immaculate," said Crawford. "It was a fabulous airplane. That was his baby."
Brantford a popular stop
Now Crawford is struggling to understand how such an experienced pilot could crash at a familiar airport.
Brantford is home to a restaurant that makes it a popular place for area pilots to stop in for a bowl of soup or a burger, he explained. Chamberlain would probably have flown there "a thousand times."
Crawford has flown there himself on countless occasion and said he's even used the remote lights at night.
Tuesday night was cloudy, snowy and moonless. Crawford said he can't understand why Chamerblain would try to land there.
"No pilot would ever try to make an approach into an unlit airport. It's just not something people do," he said. "Hamilton airport is literally 15 or 17 nautical miles away from Brantford. None of it makes any sense to me as a pilot."
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