Porter DH8D at Toronto on Nov 14th 2016, near collision with unmanned aerial vehicle
Last Update: November 21, 2016 / 19:40:46 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Nov 14, 2016
Classification
Accident
Cause
Near collision
Airline
Porter Airlines
Flight number
PD-204
Departure
Ottawa, Canada
Destination
Toronto City, Canada
Aircraft Registration
C-GLQL
Aircraft Type
De Havilland Dash 8 (400)
ICAO Type Designator
DH8D
The airline reported the crew detected an object in their flight path at around 9000 feet initially believing it was a balloon, in the debriefing it emerged there was potential it was a drone. The crew performed an evasive maneouver, which caused minor injuries to two flight attendants.
Canada's TSB reported they deployed a team of investigators to Billy Bishop Airport following an occurrence involving a risk of a mid-air collision. The pilots could not confirm what the object was.
According to initial information the aircraft was descending through 9000 feet at about 230 KIAS and 1500 feet rate of descent when the crew spotted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), solid, dark, about 5-8 feet in diameter, directly ahead. The crew made abrupt nose down inputs for an evasive maneouver, one flight attendant lifted off her feet as result and struck her head on the cabin ceiling, the other flight attendant fell against a galley wall, struck her shoulder on the wall and strained her arm while trying to hold on. The crew subsequently continued to descend at 1500 fpm and landed safely on runway 26. There were negative G-values recorded. There is no evidence that the aircraft collided with the UAV, however, it is possible that the aircraft was overstressed in the maneouver, the aircraft has been grounded therefore.
On Nov 21st 2016 the Canadian TSB reported the aircraft was descending through about 8300 feet 29nm east of the initial approach fix when the crew noticed a solid object, about 5-8 feet in diameter and shaped like an upright doughnut, directly ahead. It appeared there was no relative movement and the object came rapidly closer to the aircraft. The captain overrode the autopilot in order to quickly descend the aircraft under the object, there was no impact. Both cabin crew, still in the process of preparing the cabin for arrival, were not seated and received minor injuries when thrown into the cabin structure. There were no injuries to passengers and no damage to the aircraft. The TSB did not open an investigation.
Aircraft Registration Data
Aircraft registration data reproduced and distributed with the permission of the Government of Canada.
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Nov 14, 2016
Classification
Accident
Cause
Near collision
Airline
Porter Airlines
Flight number
PD-204
Departure
Ottawa, Canada
Destination
Toronto City, Canada
Aircraft Registration
C-GLQL
Aircraft Type
De Havilland Dash 8 (400)
ICAO Type Designator
DH8D
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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