Onlookers watch the burning remains of a helicopter on a residential street in Cranbrook, B.C., after it crashed killing three onboard and one pedestrian, Tuesday, May 13, 2008.Shantelle Araneda/ The Canadian Press
A coroner's inquest has found that the deaths of four men killed in a helicopter crash in Cranbrook were accidental.
The three-day inquest into the May 2008 crash wrapped up Thursday, with the jury making eight recommendations to Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board.
They focused on clarifying regulations for helicopter operators, requiring machines flying over cities to have more than one engine, and that data trackers be placed on all commercial helicopters.
Pilot Edward Heeb and two BC Hydro workers, Dirk Rozenboom and Robert Lehmann, were killed when the single-engine chopper lost power as it flew over the town and crashed into the street.
Isaiah Otieno, a 20-year-old student from Kenya who was walking on the sidewalk, was also killed when he was struck by the aircraft.
"I'm pleased with the results, I'm pleased with the recommendations that the jury brought back," said Mr. Rozenboom's wife, Lynne. "The process was very valuable on a personal level because it answered so many of the questions that I still had."
In Wednesday's evidence, the inquest heard from helicopter experts and pilots that the aviation regulations are cumbersome and that operators are often unclear on the requirements for their flights.
Transport Canada responded to those allegations on Thursday prior to the jury's deliberation.
Enforcement superintendent Ross Bertram denied that the aviation regulations are complex and confusing but admitted that they are open to interpretation.
"Like any law, people can read it in different ways. Any two people reading the same paragraph, whether it is Shakespeare or the Criminal Code, could come up with two interpretations," said Bertram.
Although he works with the regulations every day and is in charge of enforcing those regulations, Mr. Bertram admitted he still has to look up the laws as he deals with them.
"I do not memorize the statutes but I know where to look for them," he said. "Someone who doesn't work with the regulations every day would possibly have difficulty referring to a specific section."
He conceded that better definitions of terms such as "built-up areas" and "aerial inspection" would be useful.
"I know that anything not precisely defined in the regulations is subject to interpretation," he said.
Since the 2008 accident, both Bighorn Helicopters, which owned the helicopter involved in the crash, and BC Hydro have changed their safety policies regarding helicopter line inspections.
The inquest findings will now be sent to Transport Canada for consideration.