A pilot in Powell River, British Columbia encountered the very definition of a close call a couple of weeks ago while on short final for the airport there. As he approached the threshold in his Cessna 172, another 172 descended in front of him, missing a collision by not very many feet. The pilot hit the gas and overflew the other Cessna as his passenger recorded it all. They went around and landed and discovered the other pilot was still on the ground.
The go-around pilot said in social media posts he spoke with the other young man and learned he was a student on a solo who did not follow any standard procedures for the uncontrolled airport and was not tuned to the mandatory frequency at Powell River, which is on the coast of B.C. about 100 miles northwest of Vancouver. It’s a popular destination for the many flight schools in the area. “The City of Powell River can confirm that there was a near miss involving two aircraft in the vicinity of Powell River Airport (YPW),” stated manager of city property, partnerships and public relations Callie Cuthbertson in a written release to the Powell River Peak. “Fortunately, no injuries or damage occurred as a result of this incident.”
