Checking into my AirBnB on Sunday night, I took the opportunity to do some more research about this potential purchase.
It’s always best to do your due diligence when buying something as complex as an aircraft. The seller and I have been friends for a while, even business partners at one point. Still, that’s no excuse to slack off on some of the prerequisites when buying an airplane.
There is a lot of public information available online. I fired up chrome and typed in CADORS into google.
The Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System is a database of events that happen to aircraft. The database contains any safety related incident or accident with airplanes. Most are benign:
At 2046Z, the pilot of a 5019350 Ontario Inc. Diamond DA40 (C-GHEA) from Toronto/Buttonville, ON (CYKZ) to Toronto/Buttonville, ON (CYKZ) called to report an accidental emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activation on the ground at CYKZ, which lasted approximately one minute. Reported to the Toronto Area Control Center (CZYZ) shift manager. No operational impact.
CADORS 2020O1463
But some can be more serious:
TSB Report #A20O0083: Canadian Flyers International College’s C-GWYC, a Cessna 172M with an instructor and student on board, departed Toronto Buttonville Municipal airport (CYKZ) Runway 33 on a flight to practice circuits. The student did the pre-flight walk around; an engine run-up and associated checks were carried out prior to departure with the instructor. During the take-off, the student pilot had control, and the aircraft accelerated normally on Runway 33. As the aircraft lifted off and began to climb, the engine started to lose power. The instructor took immediate control of the aircraft, and ensured full power was being applied, but the engine continued to lose power. The instructor kept the aircraft pointed straight ahead and carried out a forced approach to a short field, located just past 16th avenue and adjacent to the Northbound lanes on Highway 404. The right main landing gear and wing tip struck the top of a hill, and spun the aircraft around. Both pilots exited the aircraft with minor injuries. The Transport Safety Board (TSB) deployed two investigators to the scene of the accident.
CADORS 2020O1170
I type CFQYH into the CADORs website, and waited for the results.
Three records! Not bad. The first two had to do with not filing a flight plan. No biggie there, but the most recent one was interesting:
A 1327134 Alberta Ltd. Piper PA-32-300 (C-FQYH) from Kamsack, SK (CNJ2) to Yorkton, SK (CYQV) reported a bird strike while executing 2 missed approaches on Runway 21. The aircraft landed on Runway 30 at 1540Z without further incident. No damage was reported to the aircraft. Eight dead seagulls were removed from Runway 21.
CADORS 2016C2805
Six years ago, the aircraft struck birds while trying to land in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Something worth mentioning to the mechanic during our inspection.
It’s getting late. I’m still on Toronto time (two hours ahead of Calgary) and want to get an early start to the day tomorrow. The forecast isn’t looking too good for flying. The smoke from the west coast forest fires have already arrived. At least I can still head to the hanger at Springbank airport (CYBW) and see QYH in person.
