MRU to conduct internal review
As an investigation into what caused a fatal plane crash west of the city continued Wednesday, Mount Royal University said it will be conducting an internal review into the incident that claimed the lives of two flight instructors.
Reynold Johnson and fellow MRU instructor Jeffrey Bird were killed Monday when the twinengined Tecnam they were flying crashed northwest of Cochrane.
The two pilots were practising their skills, following a prescribed flight program that is part of the curriculum when the crash happened, university officials said.
MRU’s director of emergency operations for this incident told reporters Wednesday that the aviation program is overseen by a “highly qualified safety officer.”
“We will conduct an internal review and internal investigation of the incident that will come in the future when all other regulatory bodies have completed their investigation,” Peter Davison said.
Davison said MRU’s fleet of planes are maintained by an external operator.
Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board were at the scene of the accident Wednesday morning as the wreckage of the aircraft was recovered and brought to Edmonton. The two investigators were to go to the Mount Royal University offices at the Springbank Airport to gather information and conduct interviews.
Jon Lee, western regional manager for the Transportation Safety Board in Edmonton, said the plane had departed from the Springbank Airport Monday and was destined to return there.
According to a statement from Johnson’s family released by MRU Wednesday, the pilot known as Reyn was a proud and devoted grandpa who brought a thorough and prepared approach to both life and work. “As a pilot, he took pride in detail, even insisting on ironing his own shirts, not just to look professional, but because he thought that a job worth doing was worth doing right. He raised his two children, Luc and Maryse to also be strong and independent, passing on his eye for detail and precision.
“The last photo taken of Reyn is of him lovingly holding his newest grandchild, born just three days before Reyn’s passing.”
He logged more than 20,000 flight hours in over 15 different airplanes in his career.
Johnson and his wife Brenda moved to Calgary in 1985, where he worked for Jordan Flight Training and Business Flights charters. He was hired by Time Air in 1988 and worked as a captain for Canadian Regional Airlines and Jazz Airlines before retiring in April 2015.
He had been instructing at Mount Royal Aviation since September 2016.
Steve Linthwaite, vice-president of flight operations with Jazz Aviation, said in a statement Wednesday that Johnson was a pilot who was well-liked and respected by his colleagues.
A GoFundMe page set up by a group of Bird’s friends is aiming to raise $25,000 to support the pilot’s two young children.
Alisha O’ Neill, who went to school with Bird and had known him for more than 20 years, described the man known as Jeff as very kind and a dedicated individual.
“Very much a family man, who really, really cared for Carly and his two kids, so that was his world,” said O’Neill.
O’Neill said while Bird had just recently started his position as a flight instructor at Mount Royal University, he was very passionate about the job and was enjoying teaching.
Before joining MRU’s aviation program, Bird spent 10 years with the Royal Canadian Air Force, including a tour in Afghanistan in 2011.
According to the GoFundMe page, any funds raised from the campaign will go directly to Bird’s children “to ensure they’re set up for success in the future and will understand just how much of (an) impact their Dad made on all of us.”
A memorial service for Bird will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Bella Concert Hall at Mount Royal University.
Mount Royal University president David Docherty said Tuesday that for the two pilots, “flying was their life.”