No distress calls made before fatal Lake Country plane crash

Last night, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada released more details on the plane crash that killed former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, Pilot Jim Kruk, Calgary optometrist Ken Gellatly and Calgary businessman Sheldon Reid.

According to the TSB, the Cessna Citation aircraft took off from Kelowna around 9:32 p.m. Oct. 13, with four people on board, destined for the Springbank Airport near Calgary.

At 9:40 p.m., only eight minutes later, the plane hit the ground approximately 11 kilometres north of Kelowna Airport, killing everyone on board.

The TSB says its initial examination suggests the plane was destroyed from the impact following a vertical descent.

In the moments before the crash, the TSB says there were no emergency distress calls made, nor was any emergency locator signal received.

The plane also didn’t have any cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder on board, as it wasn’t required to.

The TSB says its team “will be reviewing any electronic components on the aircraft from which they can retrieve data to help understand the flight profile.”

Right now, the BC Coroners Service is controlling the crash site, but has given five TSB investigators access.

In a media release, the TSB said it will “take the time needed to complete a thorough investigation.”

It noted, however, that if the team discovered any safety deficiencies presenting an “immediate risk” it will “communicate them without delay.”

“It is important not to draw conclusions or speculate as to causes at this time. There are often many factors that can contribute to an accident,” the release continued.

The TSB says it will provide more details on the crash “as required.”