Fond-du-Lac chief vows to keep lobbying for airport upgrades following fatal crash

The Fond-du-Lac Denesuline First Nation has the support of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in its quest for improvements to the community's airport following a fatal plane crash late last year.

"I don't want to see other communities across Canada go through what we have come through," said Fond-du-Lac Chief Louie Mercredi.

"Dec. 13 is the night that destroyed my community, big time."

Willie John Laurent, a long-time band councillor of Fond-du-Lac Denesuline First Nation and a survivor of December's plane crash, joined Mercredi at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations' Spring Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

The West Wind Aviation ATR-42 plane, bound for Stony Rapids, had 22 passengers and three crew members aboard when it crashed shortly after take-off.

"I'm happy to be back with my family, my people," said Laurent.

However, he added that the crash had tragic consequences for another family on the flight. Arson Fern Jr. died from injuries sustained in the crash.

Laurent said the last thing he remembered from the flight was Arson Fern Jr.'s father yelling, "The plane's going to crash."

A short while later, Laurent recalled hearing yelling, and Fern warning that fuel was leaking.

He made his way back to the main cabin door, where he struggled with the handle, which seemed to be jammed. He said Fern and a couple of others joined in to help him.

"We were pushing up because the plane was sideways," said Laurent.

He recalled his shock when he emerged from the wreckage.

"I never thought the plane was broke, from the back to the front."

Chief calls for runway improvements

Mercredi said he had only been elected chief in September, and so the crash, and its aftermath, have dominated his tenure.

"This crash was avoidable," he said. "This death was avoidable."

He said it was well-known that the community had a substandard airport, and said its runway is only 1,158 metres long, when the standard for the size of aircraft landing in the community is 1,524 metres. 

"My people are in danger on a daily basis, in and out of the community," he said.

Mercredi said he wanted to thank his fellow chiefs for supporting his resolution at an Assembly of First Nations meeting in May, calling for safe transportation into remote communities in Northern Canada.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has said West Wind staff did not de-ice the plane before takeoff from Fond-du-Lac, even though there was ice on the plane. Its final investigation report will look at whether West Wind's de-icing equipment was adequate and why it was not used that day.

That report could take months to complete.

Mercredi said that if the runway been longer, pilots may have had the time to realize there was an issue with the de-icing and could have chosen to abort the flight.

The province is conducting an engineering and design study to look at expanding the runway, and is seeking federal support to put through the expansion.

"I'm going to keep lobbying until I see equipment [and] people working on the runway — that's when I'll stop lobbying," he said.