Plane deaths might have been avoided if more safety precautions were in place: Transportation Safety Board of Canada

An official with the Transportation Safety Board says the two victims of a Vernon plane crash this summer may not have died if more safety precautions were in place.

A Piper twin engine plane crashed into an unoccupied sports field July 7 and caught fire, killing the 59-year-old pilot, James Langley of Kelowna, and his 55-year-old passenger, Karim Makalai of Port Moody.

Investigator Bill Yearwood says the victims had no major injuries from the crash itself, but died in the fire that followed, and he says the T-S-B has been recommending for years that the government make changes in aviation safety rules to reduce the risk of post-crash fires.

Yearwood says the plane may have had trouble lifting off the ground from Vernon airport because of a full load of fuel, the 33-degree temperature, and a pilot with limited experience.

Source:    http://www.vancouversun.com