THUNDER BAY — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says a steep turn on takeoff was likely the cause of an Aug. 16, 2021 plane crash that took the life of pilot Peter Balodis.
A report, issued on Thursday, says the 30-year-old pilot’s decision to conduct a low-level, climbing steep turn that led to an accelerated stall and resulted in a loss of control of the aircraft, a Rockwell International Aero Commander, leading to the plane crashing into Runway 07 at Thunder Bay International Airport.
The pilot was likely encouraged to make the maneuver based on an altered perception of risk from previous similar takeoffs that did not result in any adverse consequences, the report continues.
The report also issued a warning that if air traffic controllers engage in communications that may be perceived by pilots as condoning certain maneuvers, they are more likely to continue to conduct them and could lead to an accident occurring.
Pre-crash communications between the tower and the pilot seems to indicate one of the air traffic controllers told the pilot “That was fantastic” following the take off and then moments later, “Thanks for the little show.”
Balodis then responded, “I can get a little closer if you’d like?”
The controller responded with, “Sure.”
NAV Canada reporting procedures were also questioned, with the report noting if they don’t include steps to indicate pilots conducted unsafe flight maneuvers, there is a risk the maneuvers will continue and it could result in a crash.
Balodis was conducting a visual flight rules, or bird-dog, flight from Thunder Bay to the Dryden Regional Airport, and was the only person on board the flight, which began its takeoff at 9:09 p.m. on Aug. 16, 2021.
He was fatally injured in the crash and the airplane was destroyed by the impact and the subsequent fire. It was Balodis’ third flight of the day and he’d stopped in Thunder Bay for refueling before heading to Dryden.
According to the report, the plane began a rapid roll to the left when it was 45 feet above ground, and 33 seconds later it burst into flames upon impact with Runway 07, and slid about 840 feet before coming to rest, facing a north-northeast direction.
A failed elevator cable was found, but it was undetermined whether or not the cable completely failed before impact or as a result of impact.
There was no indication the pilot’s performance was affected by medical, pathological or physiological factors.
The report says first responders, including two airport fire trucks, were on scene within 75 seconds, but the accident was not survivable due to the severity of the impact and the post-crash fire.
