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Engine failure leads to water ditching near Sechelt (C-GPZP)

Sechelt, CanadaFlight

On July 30, 2019, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration C-GPZP) operated by Robin R. Reichman was involved in an aviation accident near Sechelt, Canada in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot performed an emergency ditching due to the onset of engine problems during flight. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered C-GPZP
Aircraft registered C-GPZP. Photo: wiltshirespotter / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A single-engine aircraft was ditched in the ocean near Sechelt after the pilot experienced mechanical issues during a flight from Vancouver.

What happened

During a flight traveling from Vancouver toward Pender Harbour, the pilot of the aircraft experienced unexpected engine difficulties. Due to these mechanical complications, the decision was made to perform an emergency ditching in the water. The incident occurred approximately three miles away from the Sechelt coastline.

Following the impact with the water, the three occupants managed to exit the cabin successfully. All individuals were able to evacuate the aircraft before it submerged and was lost at the scene. Emergency responders arrived to find that all three occupants were rescued without further incident.

Findings

  • The aircraft experienced engine problems while en route to the destination.
  • The ditching was a deliberate maneuver executed by the pilot to manage the mechanical failure.

Probable cause

The pilot performed an emergency ditching due to the onset of engine problems during flight.

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