SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A short flight ended up as a long night for two men after the Maule M-4 floatplane flipped upside down into the frigid waters of Gordon Lake last Thursday.

John Buckland, pilot and engineer with Acasta HeliFlight Inc., was operating the helicopter used to first spot two plane crash survivors Friday on Gordon Lake. - photo courtesy of Acasta HeliFlight Inc. The survivors were able to get to a small island where they secured the downed aircraft. - photo courtesy of Shariff Adam

When pilot Ken Quackenbush's private plane carrying his friend Shariff Adam, didn't make it back to Sandy Point Lodge on the lake about 100 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, his father Hassan Adam and others in the party grew anxious as hours ticked by.

"I was hoping that they were just stranded, that they were out of fuel, or something," Hassan said. His 26-year-old son and friend had left after noon and were expected back in about an hour.

Hassan, who recounted for Yellowknifer his son's story about the crash, said the two were landing in the northwestern part of the lake when the engine cut out.

The plane's engine cut out as it was flying low preparing to land, the 53-year-old pilot said. It hit the water hard and flipped.

"It filled almost instantly (with water)," he said. "Shariff and I popped out at about the same time and we sat on the float for a couple hours as we drifted away from land out into the islands."

The survival equipment, including matches, remained in the plane underwater. Their phones were dead from being in the water.

Quackenbush said they were able to get to a small island in the middle of the lake where they tied the wreckage up. They then huddled with some plastic they were able to grab from the plane and began waiting for rescue in the cold.

The temperature Thursday in the city reached at high of 10 C and low of -1.3 C, according to Environment Canada data.

"That was a serious lesson for all of us that even though you're well equipped in the plane doesn't mean you can count on it," Quackenbush said.

Despite the violent crash, the two had relatively minor physical injuries. The pilot had a cut above one of his eyes, while Shariff had a cut on one of his hands, his father said.

"They were very, very lucky for sure," Hassan said.

Several hours after the plane failed to return to the lodge, Hassan called his friend Adam Bembridge who owns a helicopter company.

Bembridge said he knew it would take time for search and rescue efforts to get underway and reach the area.

"When I looked at my watch, I knew there wasn't a lot of time before they're going to run out of daylight," said Bembridge, in Phoenix, Ariz., at the time.

He called one of his pilots at Acasta HeliFlight Inc., John Buckland. Within 30 minutes Hassan heard the helicopter at the lodge.

The search of the edge of the lake that evening included help from floatplane pilot Ray Decorby and a Royal Canadian Air Force Twin Otter but nothing was spotted. Without a cache of fuel at the lodge, the helicopter had to return to the city. For several hours overnight, Hassan said he heard the C-130 Hercules from Winnipeg circle.

On the island, the two could see and hear the search but without fire or lights had no way to signal the aircraft.

Quackenbush said they both remained fairly calm while huddled together under the tarp and bits of plastic while on a bed of tree boughs.

"You're never comfortable and you're shaking uncontrollably," said the Diavik Diamond Mine employee when asked if they managed to get some sleep. They remained soaking wet.

Acasta pilot Buckland had to wait for daylight to take off. There was snow coming down and the helicopter couldn't continue the search until 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Steve Beck, an RCMP officer at the lodge with Hassan, recommended they start flying over the many islands in Gordon Lake.

Not long after the search resumed, Beck was peering out the chopper's window when he spotted Hassan's bright blue jacket. He was waving his arms on a high spot on the island.

"We're remarkably invisible even with an orange tarp," Quackenbush said.

There was no place for the helicopter to land on the island, so a person got off and chopped down some trees, Buckland said.

"They were cold and almost hypothermic I would have to think," he added.

The two crash survivors were brought aboard, given first aid and handed warm clothes. "His pants were frozen hard," Hassan said about his son.

A message that the men were safe was relayed back to the lodge. "It was quite a celebration when we got back," Buckland said.

"My world was much better, believe me. It was a nightmare. Just a total nightmare. I don't wish it on anybody," Hassan said.

He said his son is doing alright. "I think he's probably a little shell-shocked because it all happened so fast and so violent," he said.

The plane remains in the lake. Mike Adam, senior technical investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said the accident investigation agency is continuing to examine the crash.

"We're gathering information from a variety of sources and we're working with the RCMP. The RCMP is gathering photos and evidence," Adam said Monday.

The engine failure is the main focus of attention, he said.

At this point, the board isn't deploying its own investigators to the site and also doesn't plan to publish a full investigation report into the crash. That could change if something arises during the investigation, he said.

"I'm just so grateful to the help," Hassan said about everyone involved in the search, including the military and civilians. "The amount of resources were just incredible, I just can't say enough thanks."

Quackenbush also expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in the search.

"That search and rescue effort was just unbelievable. They mobilized so quickly," he said.

And while the incident was his first crash, he said it won't keep him from the skies.

"It's too much fun to give up," Quackenbush said about flying.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.