Pubdate: Fri, 20 Oct 2006
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Maurice Bridge, Vancouver Sun

VERNON PLANE CRASH VICTIM IDENTIFIED

VERNON - RCMP have identified the pilot of a small plane who was 
killed when it crashed near Vernon Tuesday night with 109 kg of 
cocaine on board.

James Edgar Darwin, 39, a Vernon resident, was alone in the plane at the time.

City spokesman Gordon Molendyk, of the Vernon safe communities unit, 
said Thursday the single-engine aircraft apparently ran out of fuel 
and went down in a heavily forested, mountainous area 23 km southwest 
of the Okanagan city.

Molendyk said the RCMP's Osoyoos integrated border enforcement team 
has been brought into the investigation to determine the origin and 
destination of the drugs.

He said Darwin had rented the aircraft Oct. 13 from Flight Discovery 
flight school in Kelowna.

Flight-school owner Tammy Pitkeathly said Darwin had rented aircraft 
from the school three times in the past six months. She said he held 
a recreational-pilot permit, which has more restrictions than a 
private pilot's licence. The permit limits the number of passengers 
the pilot can carry, and does not allow night flying.

However, she said Darwin was an experienced pilot, with more than 
1,800 hours logged in the air.

"In March 2006, we took him for a checkout and we did 1.6 hours in 
the air with him to ensure he was able to handle the plane," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine