A rare occurrence in Canadian skies to be sure, but a mid-air collision did take place this week not far from Alberta’s Villeneuve airport (CZVL), and remarkably no one was killed or even injured.
At around 10:30 am on July 9, a Cessna 172 belonging to the Namao Flying Club and a Bell 212 belonging to LR Helicopters Inc. collided about 24 km northwest of CZVL. Occupants of the Cessna were reportedly a flight instructor and a student-pilot. Only a pilot was aboard the helicopter, which landed at a nearby field. The Cessna landed at CZVL, its home base.
“They remarkably appear to have just touched each other,” said Morinville Staff-Sergeant Darcy McGunigal. “The impact was minor enough that they both were able to make safe, controlled landings.”
Unverified reports have indicated that a wing of the Cessna made contact with one of the Bell helicopter’s skids.
The Bell helicopter landed on private property owned by Mike Schulte. “They fly around here a fair bit — the choppers and the airplanes,” Schulte told Global News. “They do practice, I think, out here quite often. They come from Villeneuve, and they fly around here and do their training.
According to Alberta Forestry and Parks, the helicopter was assisting with wildfire operations. It will remain where it landed while the Transportation Safety Board investigates.