fatal crash of amateur plane in lillooet caused by fuel pressure drops: tsb
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a fatal crash at lillooet airport involving an amateur-built aircraft last fall was caused by a recurring problem with fuel pressure, the transportation safety board of canada has concluded.
on the afternoon of sept. 24, 2025, a privately licensed pilot lifted off from the municipal aerodrome in lillooet, bound for chilliwack, in a bushmaster super 22 built in 1988. it was carrying only the pilot, his hunting equipment and venison from a hunting trip a few days earlier.
the fuel pressure and engine rpm dropped momentarily while still on the runway but recovered, and the pilot lifted off and climbed to about 105 metres. when the fuel pressure again started to drop, the engine lost power.
the pilot turned back toward the runway as the bushmaster continued to lose height and the pressure kept dropping. when the plane was about 11 metres off the ground, it struck trees, then crashed to the ground about 200 metres from the end of the runway. the plane was destroyed and the pilot was killed on impact.
an amateur-built bushmaster super 22 that had been modified recently crashed at lillooet aerodrome on sept. 24, 2025. the transportation safety board said problems with fuel pressure drops led to the crash, which destroyed the plane and killed the pilot and lone occupant.
tsb
the pilot was experienced with about 565 total hours of flight time and about 30 hours in the bushmaster, which he bought in 2024.
the tsb said that because it was an amateur build, the bushmaster had a flight permit with no expiry date and was not subject to inspections as part of its certification.
“the pilot maintained and modified the aircraft himself,” the tsb said in its report released on tuesday. he updated the plane, purchased as a float plane, with a new propeller, electronic fuel injection and ignition systems, an autopilot system and a garmin flight display, among other modifications.
while major modifications to amateur planes must be done in accordance with approved procedures, the plane was not “type-certified” and was therefore exempt from having to report equipment changes to transport canada. however, modifications that affect the “structural integrity, geometry, performance … and maximum permissible takeoff mass” are supposed to be checked by an inspector.
an amateur-built bushmaster super 22 that had been modified recently crashed at lillooet aerodrome on sept. 24, 2025. the transportation safety board said problems with fuel pressure drops led to the crash, which destroyed the plane and killed the pilot and lone occupant.
tsb
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“some of the modifications made to the (bushmaster) after the flight permit was issued likely affected the aircraft’s performance, power plant operation, and flight characteristics,” the tsb said. “there was no record of these modifications being inspected by a transport canada representative or reported to the (transportation) minister before flight.”
after modifications were done in june 2025, “the aircraft began experiencing significant momentary drops in fuel pressure during operation. these issues continued through early september 2025.”
the primary electric fuel pump repeatedly lost pressure and required the backup pump to kick in. these defects were never recorded in the journey log.
“in the days leading up to the hunting excursion, the fuel pressure was repeatedly adjusted and ground runs were performed.” during the week before the trip, the bushmaster “experienced five major fuel‑pressure drops at the start of takeoff rolls, some accompanied by notable reductions in engine rpm, yet the pilot continued the takeoffs and flights.”
even on the day of the crash, the plane continued to give the pilot problems during a series of planned flights. the alternator stopped producing power on the first flight and the pilot diverted from a planned refuelling in lillooet to vanderhoof airport, 45 minutes away. the electrical issue was repaired and the pilot took off again.
an amateur-built bushmaster super 22 that had been modified recently crashed at lillooet aerodrome on sept. 24, 2025. the transportation safety board said problems with fuel pressure drops led to the crash, which destroyed the plane and killed the pilot and lone occupant.
tsb
once again, the plane’s fuel pressure and rpm dropped just before takeoff, but it recovered and the pilot continued on to lillooet for refuelling. after landing, a circuit breaker tripped and the fuel pressure dropped drastically before the engine was shut down. the pilot made further adjustments to the fuel pressure, but “a gurgling sound was heard coming from the aircraft” — a sign that air might have been trapped in the header fuel tank, which the tsb noted was undersized and thus prone to trapping air.
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the tsb said there have been 34 accidents recorded since 2012 in which a power loss occurred on takeoff and the pilot tried to turn back. in those accidents, 13 planes were destroyed and 12 people either died or were seriously injured.
“owners of amateur-built aircraft are reminded that certain design changes may require an inspection by a transport canada representative and may invalidate an aircraft’s flight authority,” the tsb said. “moreover, modifying aircraft without following acceptable data may jeopardize the safety of the aircraft.”
pilots who fly knowing an aircraft has defects run the risk of “serious injury, fatalities, and damage to aircraft and property.”
it also warned against turning back after an engine failure.
“when the aircraft is at a low height, landing in a field or other area directly ahead is usually safer than attempting to force a return to the runway.”
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