Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 05/99) - An elderly couple flying to Tuktoyaktuk from Dryden, Ontario in a twin engine aircraft, were forced to make an emergency landing on the Dettah ice road Thursday afternoon.

The couple were uninjured when the plane bellied onto the ice crossing on Yellowknife Bay.

The twin engine aircraft had experienced a fuel deficiency in its engines during a routine fuel transfer conducted while in flight over the city.

"They were transferring fuel from one wing to another and the transfer was not quick enough," said Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy, RCMP District Commander North. "The engines were starved."

Police report that the pilot saw the ice road and brought the plane around for a landing, where he failed to lower the landing gear.

The plane, owned by Northern Youth Programs, of Dryden, Ont. received extensive damage, however the accident caused minimal damaged to the ice road.

The plane was positioned in the centre of the road while awaiting removal, and posed no obstruction to traffic travelling in either direction.

The department of transportation was informed of the incident and will be dealing with the members of the Yellowknife RCMP detachment during the investigation.