Lack of black box makes probe into fatal plane crash difficult: expert

KELOWNA, B.C. – An aviation expert says determining what caused a fatal plane crash near Kelowna, B.C., will be especially difficult because the aircraft didn't have flight recording devices.

Carleton University aerospace engineering professor Jurek Sasiadek says the probe into why a small Cessna jet crashed shortly after take off late Thursday will be long and difficult because of the limited information available to investigators.

Former Alberta premier Jim Prentice was among the four people on board the plane who were killed.

Lead crash investigator Beverley Harvey has said recording equipment was not required on this type of aircraft.

The Transportation Safety Board made a recommendation in 2013 that Transport Canada move to require recording equipment on lightweight aircraft.

A Transport Canada statement says that on small aircraft, the decision to install flight recorder equipment is at the pilot's discretion.