Air transportation

On 06 March 2005 at 06:45 a.m. (Greenwich mean time), Air Transat Flight 961, left Varadero, Cuba, for Québec, Quebec, and encountered stability problems 17 minutes after take-off. The aircraft, an Airbus A310, was cleared to a lower altitude and stabilized. Because the company had maintenance facilities in Varadero, the crew requested a return to that locale and successfully landed. Upon landing, it was observed that the rudder had separated from the aircraft. It had 262 passengers and 9 crew members on board.

On December 7, 2005, the Messershmitt-Bolkow-Blohm (MBB) BO 105 helicopter was being used for various tasks associated with the upkeep and operation of lighthouse and coastal navigation facilities in the Burin Peninsula area of Newfoundland and Labrador. While returning to Marystown in the late afternoon, with one pilot and one passenger on board, the helicopter encountered heavy snow showers and, at about 1628 Newfoundland standard time, the helicopter crashed into the water of Mortier Bay, east of Marystown.

Chapter 6 of International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 13

Canada is required to undertake certain commitments as a signatory to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreements. The following is excerpted from Chapter 6 of Annex 13 of ICAO agreements and deals with the TSB's obligation to report to other states involved in an investigation.

CHAPTER 6. FINAL REPORT

[. . .]

Release of the Final Report

A review of large (above 5700 kg), turbine-powered aircraft accident and incident data has shown that there have been at least 12 major occurrences where take-off performance was significantly different from scheduled performance. Four of the aircraft involved were destroyed and there were 297 fatalities.

The information in the chronology of events has been provided by various sources to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada within the context of the MK 1602, 747-200 Halifax accident investigation (A04H0004)