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Air transportation safety investigation A18O0153

The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 24 May 2019.

Table of contents

Collision with terrain

Piper PA-28R-200, C-GDUM
Brantford Airport, Ontario

View final report

The occurrence

In the early morning hours on , a privately owned Piper PA-28R-200 aircraft collided with terrain at the Brantford Municipal Airport, in Ontario. The wreckage was found in the airport infield area adjacent to Runway 05. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the two occupants on board were fatally injured.


Media materials

News release

2019-05-24

Investigation report: November 2018 collision with terrain at the Brantford Municipal Airport, Ontario
Read the news release

Deployment notice

2018-11-13

TSB deploys a team of investigators to the Brantford Airport, Ontario, following a small plane accident

Richmond Hill, Ontario, 13 November 2018 - The Transportation Safety Board is deploying a team of investigators to the site of a fatal accident near the Brantford Airport, Ontario. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.


Investigation information

Map showing the location of the occurrence




Investigator-in-charge

Photo of Peter Machete

Peter Machete began in aviation in 1977, joining the Canadian Aviation Safety Board, the precursor to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), in November 1985.

Mr. Machete left the TSB in May 1996 to go back to the airline industry, and returned to the TSB in May 2003. During his time away, Peter performed maintenance audits on airlines and did insurance surveyor work. He undertook various familiarization courses on several aircraft types and he has numerous license endorsements.

Peter also completed courses in safety management systems for airlines, aircraft retrieval, aircraft performance and structures, and advanced rotary wing investigations.


  Download high-resolution photos from the TSB Flickr page.

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

  1. Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.