The pilot killed in a plane crash in Blackfalds was a skilled aerobatic pilot with many years of experience.
Keith Vandenbrink, treasurer of the flying club, has known the pilot for about 12 years.
“He was an experienced aerobatic pilot,” said Vandenbrink, who preferred not to name him at this time.
“I do know he had done a lot of training. His previous three aircraft were all aerobatic aircraft.
“He had trained with some very highly rated airshow pilots. He spent the money to get the best training he could.”
The pilot did not do air shows himself but enjoyed the kind of skillful flying involved.
He was flying a kit-built aerobatic biplane known as a Steen Skybolt when he went down around 2:30 p.m. in a field sandwiched between homes and businesses on the east side of Hwy 2A in Blackfalds near Cottonwood Drive.
Vandenbrink said he reacted “with shock” when he heard what had happened.
“He was so full of life. He was a very energetic person, not the person you would expect to pass away,” saying he was around 60 years old and in a relationship. He also had an adult son.
Vandenbrink said he went out to the scene himself after he heard what happened. He did not want to speculate on what could have happened since he did not witness the crash.
“Our investigators this morning were doing interviews, primary eyewitnesses and near-witnesses,” said Lee. A police officer at the scene could be seen gathering a lengthy list of witnesses and their phone numbers.
The wreckage will be transported to the safety board’s Edmonton shop, where investigators will examine the engine, flight controls, airframe and other components that may offer clues to what happened.
An initial survey of the site and the “wreckage trail” offered evidence of how he plane hit the ground.
“There was basically no wreckage trail in terms of the aircraft skidding across the ground. So it’s descent path would have been very steep.”
Blackfalds RCMP said in its release that witnesses reported what they “believed to be engine trouble.”
Safety board investigators will try to determine what happened through a “process of elimination,” said Lee. There may be more information released in a couple of weeks.
Anyone with information or video that may help safety board investigators can call 1-819-994-8053.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com