Toxicology tests reveal high alcohol in pilot who crashed in B.C. mountains

BURNABY, B.C. – The B.C. Coroners Service says the pilot of a cargo plane that crashed in mountains north of Vancouver had a high level of alcohol in his system.

The service says toxicology tests found Robert Brandt had an alcohol level of 52 millimoles per litre, or 24 per cent.

Thirty-four-year-old Brandt was captain of the twin-engine plane operated by Kelowna-based Carson Air.

It crashed on Coliseum Mountain just before 7 a.m. on April 13, also killing 32-year-old first officer Kevin Wang, who did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system.

The plane took off from Vancouver International Airport and was bound for Prince George.

The Transportation Safety Board said after the crash that the crew did not declare an emergency before the aircraft dropped from 2,400 metres to 900 metres altitude in less than 20 seconds.

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