NTSB Dispatches Team To Assist In Investigation

The NTSB has dispatched a team of investigators to assist the government of Canada in its investigation of Saturday's crash of First Air flight 6560, a Boeing 737-200 combi airplane.

On August 20, 2011 at about 1530 EDT, the airplane, en route from Yellowknife Airport to Resolute Bay Airport, went down on approach, approximately 5 miles East of Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada. There are reportedly twelve fatalities three survivors. The Associated Press reports that the weather was foggy at the time of the accident. As first responders arrived at the accident scene, they found several hundred military personnel who had been in the area conducting a mock airliner accident training scenario attending to a real-life situation. Authorities say the quick action may have been a factor in helping three people survive the accident.

The NTSB has designated air safety investigator Joe Sedor as the traveling U.S. Accredited Representative.  Accompanying Mr. Sedor will be NTSB Operational Factors and Airworthiness investigators and representatives from the FAA, Pratt & Whitney and Boeing.

The investigation is being conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which will release all information.

FMI: www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/aviation, www.ntsb.gov