The investigation into a helicopter crash east of Williams Lake which seriously injured a pilot last month is ongoing, said the Transportation Safety Board (TSB).
On Sept. 2 a Bell 206B Helicopter operated by Far West Helicopters was flying for a remote mining operation approximately 58 nautical miles east of Williams Lake when the helicopter experienced a loss of engine power on its final approach to the camp helipad and went down, coming to rest in a narrow creek bed adjacent to the landing pad, according to the TSB.
The pilot suffered serious injuries in the incident and the aircraft sustained significant damage.
A spokesperson from the TSB said the investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.
A spokesperson for Far West Helicopters said the pilot spent about three weeks in hospital but is expected to make a full recovery. He said the pilot was very experienced.
There are three phases to a TSB investigation: the field phase where investigators examine the occurrence and wreckage site, interview witnesses and collect information, the examination and analysis phase where the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies and, lastly, the report phase when a confidential draft report is approved by the board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report.
They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.