By Brent Bosker

Investigators begin probe of fatal plane crash

Jul 8, 2011 | 2:31 PM

It may be months before an exact cause is found for the fatal plane crash in Northern Saskatchewan that took five lives.

Twenty-one year old Danny Mantyka and 15-year old Max Clunie of Prince Albert, brothers Wade and Cam Cooper from the Senlac area and a 31-year-old pilot from Quebec were killed when their float plane crashed June 30 on Buss Lake. The group was on a fly-in fishing trip.

Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSBC) reached the remote crash site on Thursday, said Peter Hildebrand, regional manager in Winnipeg.

“They did their initial examination of the wreckage as well as the surrounding area.”

It’s going to be a very thorough investigation that will last weeks, Hildebrand added.

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“At the site itself (we’ll be looking) to see the markings on the trees and rocks in the vicinity, to see if we can determine an angle of descent for the aircraft at the final moments of flight.”

“At the wreckage site they’re going to be looking for … any anomalies, with the structure, with the flight controls.”

The engine will also be examined, said Hildebrand.

Adding to the investigation, Hildebrand said, is trying to determine the aircrafts' destination and flight path.

“These things were not recorded so we have to make calculations based on time and distance.”

The mangled wreckage of the plane had been sitting in the lake for a week until a helicopter flew the remains to Southend to be examined. It was a challenging site to reach because there was no road access, Hildebrand said.

“The airplane was badly broken up and that would have added to the problems trying to keep it together to move it, so it was difficult site.”

Because of the situation, Hildebrand said it may take months before they reach any conclusions.

Most often they can determine what happened, but in some cases crashes do go unsolved, Hildebrand said.

Meanwhile, funerals were held earlier this week for Mantyka and Clunie. Services for Wade and Cam Cooper were being held today in Unity.

bbosker@panow.com