False emergency beacon leads to search and rescue response in Newfoundland

An emergency signal from a plane over Newfoundland had pilots and search and rescue crews scrambling, but turned out to be a plane parked in a hangar.

The signal was first picked up Aug. 14 somewhere over southwestern Newfoundland, but with no reports of overdue planes or other distress, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax chose not to start a search.

An initial report from Transport Canada said the file was reopened when they learned that Gander air traffic controllers had also been receiving reports, but weren't passing them along. 

A Hercules aircraft and Cormorant helicopter were dispatched and were able to track the emergency signal to a small float plane parked in a hangar along Deer Lake. 

The owner of the plane was contacted and the signal was shut off. 

Signal also detected in New Brunswick

An official from NAV Canada also confirmed that the emergency beacon was also being picked up by the air traffic control centre in Moncton, N.B.

The signal was detected because the aircraft was close enough to the airspace boundary of the Moncton centre.

Moncton controllers had passed on the reports to JRCC but there was a one hour period when Gander did not, according to NAV Canada.

The incident is being considered a miscoordination between Gander and Moncton, and NAV Canada said procedures are being reviewed to ensure effective notification of JRCC in the future.