The sun was setting over Ottawa on July 31 when a small Grumman AA-5A aircraft with three people onboard crashed into trees near the Ottawa Airport. Residents as far as Westboro heard knocking sounds louder than usual as it passed overhead.
Two people survived the incident, but the pilot, who was later identified as Stéphane Tessier from Gatineau, was killed.
Over two weeks later, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) put out a call on social media asking residents in Westboro, Carlington, Fisher Heights, and Parkwood Hills neighbourhoods to keep an eye out for any debris that came off the aircraft as it crossed the Capital. It’s believed the plane’s engine failure first started over McKellar Park.
“If you live along the flight path, check your land, pool and gutters for any foreign objects,” TSB said.
Coincidentally, two days after the accident, a Westboro couple found a small camshaft in their garden — a metal rod about 20 centimetres long that was part of the plane’s engine. It was soon picked up by Ottawa Police, who left with it in an evidence bag.
But it never made its way to the TSB — at least not immediately. That was until multiple inquiries were made and the piece was tracked down.
“We got word a couple days ago that some residents from Westboro had found a part that looked like the aircraft’s camshaft which was brought to the Ottawa Police in the days following the accident, before we made our callout on social media. We have since contacted OPS and retrieved the missing piece,” TSB said in a statement.
It’s unclear if other pieces of the aircraft could still be missing. The TSB was previously also searching for the engine’s crankcase casting, which is about 5/16-inch thick and made of an aluminum-magnesium alloy.
The TSB says its investigation into what caused the plane to crash should wrap up by March 2026. Its next step is to tear the engine apart and inspect every piece to see what caused the failure. It will look for missing components, the use of incorrect or loose parts, worn-out pieces, and improper lubrication.