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Photo from Vancouver SunThe mystery surrounding the discovery of an empty plane fuselage has been solved after a search and rescue group revealed the wreckage was intentionally placed there for training.
On Nov. 3 a hunter discovered the abandoned wreckage of a plane in a remote area new Knouff and Community Lakes, north of Kamloops in British Columbia. He notified the Kamloops Flight Information Center and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded, verifying that the wreckage was at least 20-25 years old. The Joint Rescue Coordination Center Victoria and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada were also notified and a Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System issued a notice about the mystery crash. However, according to The Vancouver Sun, B.C. air safety group PEP-Air has been using the wrecked remains for training purposes for nearly two years.
The group's Executive Director, Fred Carey, told The Vancouver Sun he was confused as to how the training ground was mistaken for a real plane crash site.
"It's pretty silly … I mean I just don't understand how it could get this far," he said to The Vancouver Sun.
PEP-Air is part of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association and has contacted the proper agencies to let them know the crash site is not a real crash site. The volunteer search and rescue group sends members out to look for the prop wreck as part of their training exercises. Carey told The Vancouver Sun there were numerous crash sites around B.C., but would not reveal the locations. The discovered site is registered with the Royal Canadian Air Force's Joint Rescue Coordination Center and Carey guessed that JRCC was not notified about the find to confirm its validity, or in this case, set the record straight. Carey said it was clear neither the hunter nor police looked inside the wreck, stating it would have been clear it was not a real crash if they had done so.
CASARA Pilot Orvin Walden told CBC News that the skeletal fuselage was placed on private land and clearly marked with CASARA and phone numbers as to not be mistaken for a real crash site. The aircraft remains are placed to train spotters and navigators how to locate a wreckage on the hillside. Walden told CBC News the location was strategic, meant to be away from normal flight routes to allow pilots to practice flying in the area without disrupting other aircraft. The winds along the mountainside are tricky, adding to the difficulty of the training exercise. The plane was said to be marked with the CASARA name and phone numbers but the CADORS website said it had no registration of identifying marks visible.
What was thought to be a devastating and forgotten wreck was a plane part acquired from a salvage yard used for training. The mystery of the unknown plane wreck was solved.