Pilot in crash that killed 2 wanted men was reported for improper registration, B.C. instructor says & More News Here

Azami says he observed the picture of a airplane posted on Facebook Marketplace was not sometimes used for industrial functions and when he searched it in a public database, he discovered it was solely privately licensed.

Although Handa shared with him a picture of his industrial pilot’s licence, Azami stated the airplane would nonetheless should be registered for industrial use earlier than he might tackle paying passengers.

“[Handa] was posting on Facebook about doing a charter service and charging money on a privately registered aircraft. That’s illegal because it has to be a commercially registered aircraft with proper checks and balances in place,” Azami stated in an interview.

“I reported him because I’m a flight instructor and I teach my students about being conscious and good pilots, decision making and you know, following the rules because rules are there to keep everybody safe.”

Handa has been recognized by Ontario Provincial Police as the person flying a small plane that crashed in northwestern Ontario final month, killing all 4 aboard.

Police have recognized the opposite passengers as Gene Lahrkamp, who was wanted in Thailand for homicide, Duncan Bailey and Hankun Hong.

Bailey has the identical full title and age as a person who breached his bail circumstances in B.C., the place he had been charged in a separate homicide plot.

The crash is beneath investigation by the Transportation Safety Board, Ontario Provincial Police and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which is British Columbia’s anti-gang unit.

‘Something did not appear proper’

Azami’s report on Dec. 7, 2021, to Transport Canada consists of screengrabs of the adverts Handa allegedly posted in addition to a transcript of the messages they exchanged.

Azami’s allegations have been first reported in the Vancouver Sun.

The Piper Cherokee plane’s registration quantity matches what the Transportation Safety Board has confirmed is the registration variety of the airplane that crashed.

Azami stated he initially pretended to be an buyer to collect extra details about the flight companies and Handa’s {qualifications}.

“Something didn’t seem right,” Azami stated.

In the course of the alternate on Facebook Messenger provided to The Canadian Press, Handa stated passengers and pilots on board could be insured and the airplane was maintained to Transport Canada’s requirements.

Handa informed Azami charters to anyplace in Canada price $300 an hour per particular person and the airplane had capability for two to 3 passengers.

He shared a replica of his redacted licence, exhibiting a industrial pilot licence designation for small and multi-engine land plane.

Azami stated that sort of certification would enable Handa to work for rent with both an accepted airline or on a commercially registered plane, however not a privately registered one.

Records from the Official Canadian Civil Aircraft Register database present the plane was registered for personal use.

Transport Canada stated it was made conscious in December 2021 that a personal pilot was providing air taxi companies and it began trying into the matter instantly, nevertheless it couldn’t share any additional particulars as a result of it concerned third-party info.

Generally talking, nevertheless, the company stated that somebody with a personal pilot’s licence can solely fly a airplane “of a class and type in respect to which the licence is endorsed.” The identical is true for a pilot with a industrial licence who’s offering industrial air companies.

To carry paying passengers, an organization should take the additional steps of making use of to Transport Canada for an air operator certificates, then apply for a home licence to function an air transport service between locations with the Canadian Transportation Agency.