C-GKYG: "Crippled" Bird!

Last night I talked on the phone at length to my good friend Shiloh Tegart, who flies for North Cariboo Air, and is based in Fort St. John, B.C.. He phoned me regarding a real estate property he owns, and also to bullshit and give me some details regarding an aircraft I am quite familiar with, having flown it in the past. The aircraft he updated me on is stalwart de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, C-GKYG. I posted photos regarding the way KYG looked a couple of years back in my post The "Final" Photos From The "Lens Of Brad Blois", when the company I am employed with, Blue Water Aviation Services Ltd., had KYG on a lease. KYG then had a Pezetel M18 1000 HP radial engine, and was a good, tight machine. KYG's engine was converted to a Walter Turbine, and she was painted, this happening in 2004. Bob Jackson, owner of Adventure Air in Lac du Bonnet, MB, owns KYG, and this past year has had it leased to a company in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. It was supplying mining crews and anyone else needing an Otter in isolated areas, and was being operated on wheels. It had been doing the job quite efficiently, and then a couple of weeks ago, we heard some bad news. KYG had an injury!

Well, we received snippets of info about KYG, but without an actual visual image, it is hard to tell exactly how the poor old girl looked. We understood the aircraft was nowhere near a write-off, but she wouldn't be flying from her "injury site" on her own, and she definitely needed "surgery". This is where Shiloh comes in, as he e-mailed me some pics. Shiloh has actually been filling in and doing the flying KYG was doing, using a DHC-6 Twin Otter. So, let's get that visual image!


KYG as I knew her, a couple of years back....... 


Fuel dump close to the "injury site", and runway. 


Shiloh's Twin Otter, to the rescue! 


Poor KYG, supported by pallets. 


Apparently KYG had a rough landing, the right gear folded back, the right wing touched, and the prop made a nice trench down the runway before the aircraft came to a stop. Believe it or not, which is an amazing stroke of luck, there was no belly damage. 


The aircraft was raised....... 


A little curve in that "hockey stick"......... 


Took a good "whack"........ 


Introducing the new "Noodle Propeller". It straightens out once you start the engine! 


It looks like the engine cowls weren't damaged either.......Notice the objects "duct-taped" to the top of the wing just aft of the leading edges. These objects are to "spoil" the lift of the wings when the aircraft is lifted by helicopter, and slung back to the maintenance or transportation area.  


Prop damage. 

Hockey stick and noodle-prop jokes aside, no one likes to see an aircraft damaged, ESPECIALLY an Otter, as they have a time and experience-acquired "personality" all their own. If only Otters could talk. Anyways, KYG will be repaired, and will take to the skies again, to do what she does best, and that is "flog the bush". You can't keep a good "Canadian Girl" down for long. They "Rock"!

Thanks, Shiloh!

(PS - There were no injuries in the mishap, which is above all the most important thing!)