Company Has Suffered From Two Fatal Accidents In Five Months

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 03.29.08 1800 EDT: An ANN News-Spy called our attention Saturday afternoon to the Transport Canada CADORS incident report on Friday's downing of a Piper PA-46 in Alberta, Canada, that sheds new light on the unfortunate accident.

According to that report, a controller in Edmonton observed the aircraft moving erratically as it flew on course to Winnipeg. When that controller made contact with the aircraft, the pilot reported a problem with a gyro.

Soon after, the aircraft was observed in a rapid descent, and the controller lost contact with the aircraft.

The incident report identifies the aircraft as a PA-46-350P, a Jetprop-converted Malibu, fitted with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 turboprop.

Original Report

Airframe icing may be a factor in the fatal downing of a Piper PA-46 Malibu in Wainwright, Alberta, Canada on Friday morning... though it's really too soon to tell.

According to CanWest News Service, five people were onboard the aircraft en route from Edmonton to Winnipeg. The aircraft departed City Centre Airport in Edmonton at 0738 local time Friday morning on an easterly heading, and disappeared from radar at about 0812.

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police team discovered a piece of wreckage, and a search crew landed at the site of the accident at 1200 local time.

Investigators haven't stated what may have led to the accident, though NavCanada briefers warned pilots flying in the area of broken clouds from 2,500 feet to 14,000, and moderate icing conditions. A nearby weather station, 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of the accident site, reported less than one mile visibility in mist, with freezing fog.

The aircraft was owned by A.D Williams Engineering, an engineering company with interests in northern diamond mines. Of those onboard the Malibu who died in Friday's accident, three were staff members with the company -- A.D Williams president Reagan Williams, and executives Rhonda Quirke and Phil Allard.

Allard was appointed CFO in January, filling a post left vacant after his predecessor, Steven Sutton, was killed in a plane crash five months ago. That accident also claimed the life of company founder Allen Williams, who was Reagan Williams' father.

FMI: www.tc.gc.ca/en/menu.htm, www.adwilliams.com