Canadian investigators are examining the cause of crash on 16 August of an Advanced Aero Seawind 300C amphibian prototype. The four-seat single-engined aircraft was en route to the developer's base in Montreal when it crashed into a densely wooded area 100km (55nm) north-east of Winnipeg, Manitoba, killing the test pilot. Weather conditions at the time of the crash were favourable with clear skies, a 10kt (18.5km/h) wind and temperature of 17° (63°F).
The company says the aircraft was equipped with both an engine monitor and a flight data recorder "which we hope will record an accurate picture of events".
Seawind Europe director Tony Irwin says the company was hoping to receive Canadian and US certification for the 300C by the end of the year. "The programme has now been put on hold until the cause of the crash is determined and we have developed a plan to complete the project," he says. "Seawind has 90 deposits for the 300C and has started building the first customer aircraft," Irwin adds.
The Seawind was originally sold as kit with around 150 sales recorded and around 75 of the type in operation. The certificated version was launched in 2003 with a plan to deliver the first aircraft by the end of 2004. Design changes and funding constraints have hampered the development effort, but the company was thrown a lifeline earlier this year by the Quebec government with a C$2.8 million ($2.64 million) loan guarantee to certificate and produce the Seawind in Quebec.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
