The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 30 November 2022.
Collision with terrain
Privately registered
Piper PA24-250 (Comanche), C-GEWK
Wawa, Ontario, 11.5 NM SSW
The occurrence
On , a privately registered Piper PA-24-250 (Piper Comanche 250) departed Delhi Aerodrome, Ontario, for a VFR flight to Marathon Airport, Ontario, with 2 private pilots on board. When the pilots did not report their arrival at Marathon Airport, NAV CANADA initiated steps to locate the overdue aircraft. The last known position of the aircraft was approximately 15 NM south of Wawa Airport, Ontario. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) took over the search for the next 10 days using several aircraft and helicopters, in addition to ground searches.
The wreckage was found on 21 May 2022 in a densely forested area.
Media materials
News release
Investigation Report: Fatal collision with terrain near Wawa, Ontario
Read the news release
Deployment notice
TSB deployed a team of investigators to the site of a fatal collision with terrain of a small aircraft near Wawa, Ontario
Richmond Hill, Ontario, 23 May 2022 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has deployed a team of investigators to the site of a fatal collision with terrain of a Piper PA-24 Comanche that went missing on 14 April 2022 and found on 21 May near Wawa, Ontario. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
Investigation information
A22O0046
Collision with terrain
Privately registered
Piper PA24-250 (Comanche), C-GEWK
Wawa, Ontario, 11.5 NM SSW
Investigator-in-charge
Sébastien Lachapelle is a regional senior investigator with the Ontario region of the Air Investigations Branch. He joined the TSB in 2020.
Before joining the TSB, Mr. Lachapelle worked for various aircraft manufacturers and maintenance organizations where he occupied positions from aircraft final assembly line inspector to manager, quality assurance and regulatory compliance, including aircraft systems functional test agent and internal auditor. He also worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer.
Starting in 2007, he worked at Transport Canada as a civil aviation safety inspector and as an enforcement investigator. More recently, he worked as a technical team lead, Airworthiness.
Mr. Lachapelle holds an aircraft maintenance engineer licence from Transport Canada.
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Class of investigation
This is a class 4 investigation. These investigations are limited in scope, and while the final reports may contain limited analysis, they do not contain findings or recommendations. Class 4 investigations are generally completed within 220 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
- Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.
For more information, see our Investigation process page.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.