Low altitude, speed contributed to fatal helicopter crash in northern N.B.

Low altitude and speed made it difficult for a helicopter pilot to see or avoid unmarked power lines spanning a river before a New Brunswick crash that killed a prominent Quebec singer and the pilot, a report says.

The Transportation Safety Board says the pilot was likely unaware of the power transmission cables spanning the Restigouche River and did not see them before the collision.

Pilot Frederick Decoste was flying with two passengers, Quebec singer Roberto “Bob” Bissonnette and Quebec Capitales baseball team president Michel Laplante.

The report released Wednesday says fatigue may have impacted the pilot’s decision-making abilities and performance, as he had limited opportunities to sleep prior to the flight.

As well, a toxicological screening suggested marijuana use by Decoste, but could not determine impairment.

The privately operated Bell 206B helicopter was en route from Caraquet, N.B., to Saint-Nicolas, Que., on Sept. 4, 2016. It made a fuel stop in Charlo, N.B., and was headed to Riviere-du-Loup, Que., for a second fuel-up, when it crashed into the river near Flatlands.

Decoste and Bissonnette both died in the crash, but Laplante survived with non-life threatening injuries and was helped to shore by witnesses.

Bissonnette, a former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League player, later became a singer, recording comedic songs about hockey.

The report says the owner of the single-engine, five-seat helicopter lent it to a business colleague to attend a function in Caraquet.

After the event, the three men returned to the hotel after 3 a.m. While the two passengers returned to their hotel rooms, the pilot sad he was not tired and remained in the hotel lobby drinking caffeinated beverages until about 5 a.m.

The trio went fishing the next morning, and departed for Saint-Nicolas in the afternoon.

During a fuel stop in Charlo, the group learned that the Restigouche River, close to their return route, was a scenic area popular with tourists.

The helicopter was flown at tree-top level at cruising speeds along the river and valley, likely for sight-seeing purposes, the report said.

“Low-level flying is risky and this flight was not in compliance with Canadian Aviation Regulations,” the report found.

“The pilot did not refer to any charts while flying above the river.

“It is not known if the pilot had studied the route before the departure from Charlo Airport,” the report continued.

“The low altitude and the speed at which the helicopter was flown made obstacles, such as unmarked power transmission line cables, difficult to see and avoid.”

At 3:47 p.m., flying at a height of less than 18 metres, the helicopter flew into four power conductor cable.

The helicopter broke apart and continued for about 45 metres before falling into the middle of the river.

“Witnesses waded into the waist-deep water to the main wreckage and helped the rear-seat passenger to the south shore of the river,” the report stated.

The pilot had been flying since 2001, and had accumulated nearly 1,000 flight hours, including 730 hours on this type of helicopter.

Yet the report said the pilot only had the opportunity to sleep about four hours non-consecutively before the flight, and it’s unclear whether he slept at those times.

“People who do not obtain sufficient sleep may experience sleep deprivation and become fatigued,” the report said, noting that this can impact cognitive tasks.

As for marijuana consumption, the report said the post-mortem toxicological screening revealed the presence of cannabis but it was inconclusive whether this was a risk factor. There was no alcohol in the pilot’s system.

The report also found that the helicopter was overweight at takeoff.

Low wire-crossings are ubiquitous in Canada and requiring lighting or markings on all wires would “not be reasonable,” the report said.

Instead, Canadian Aviation Regulations require all aircraft to be operated at a minimum of about 150 metres from any structure, vessel or person.

Low-level flying operations for work such as wildlife surveys or power-line inspection require reconnaissance flights at higher altitudes to identify any possible hazards or obstacles, the report said.

For example, although tall trees on either side of the river likely hindered the pilot’s ability to see the electrical towers on either shore at low altitudes, flying higher would likely have alerted him to the presence of the power transmission line cables, according the board’s findings.