UPDATED An investigation into a float plane crash that took the life of a prominent Powell River businessman and former provincial politician continues.
Harold Long, 72, was the pilot and only occupant of a DHC-2 Beaver float plane that was spotted floating upside down in Bute Inlet near Stuart Island on Tuesday, May 21.
Search and Rescue Technicians, Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP attended the scene and completed the recovery later in the day.
BC Coroners Service and Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate the accident. “The coroner is working with the Transportation Safety Board to examine the aircraft, among other investigative steps,” said Matt Brown, regional coroner.
Harold was the Social Credit Party MLA for the riding, which was called Mackenzie, from 1986 to 1991, and the BC Liberal MLA in the Powell River-Sunshine Coast riding from 2001 to 2005. He also served on Powell River’s municipal council for two years, 1992 to 1993, and was a member of the mayor’s task force from 1997 to 1999.
Harold joined his family’s business, City Transfer, in 1958 and in 1979 purchased the company from his father, Bert, and expanded it. He has four children and his two sons, Craig and Phill, run the business.
Harold is being remembered for his generosity and anonymous acts of kindness, as well as his love for flying.
City of Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa said he was shocked when he heard about the accident. “I’m going to miss him, miss that smile and miss watching that plane fly by,” he said, adding he considered Harold a mentor. “We used to see him fly by often. He was as much a bird as he was a human. He was always in the air.”
Harold was larger than life, Formosa said, oriented toward his family, the community and business. “He had a huge heart. He did a lot of things for people that people would never know or guess,” he said. “He was a strong man and a person that wouldn’t back down from anything or anybody, but he also had a heart as big as this whole community.”
Andy Evans, manager of Powell River Town Centre Mall, posted condolences on his Facebook page that included a story about how Harold helped out a friend of his after his daughter died. Evans had been trying, unsuccessfully, to arrange a flight from Vancouver for some of his friend’s family when someone mentioned Harold to him. “We called Harold and asked him if it would be possible to fly to Vancouver and pick up the family in this time of grief. Harold dropped everything and headed to the airport.”
A couple of hours later they returned to Powell River with the family. “Harold refused payment for his expenses. He did this deed out of the goodness of his heart. For months afterward Harold took the time every time he ran into me to ask how my friend and his family were doing. That’s just the kind of guy Harold was and how I will always remember him.”
Former provincial politician Gordon Wilson knew Harold well, as he ran against him in 1991 and 2001. “We were pretty fierce combatants in politics, but outside of politics, we got along really well,” Wilson said. “He did a lot for an awful lot of people in Powell River. It’s a real tragedy, I’m very sad about it and I’m very sorry for the loss for his family.”
City Councillor Myrna Leishman also knew Harold well, from her involvement in community organizations as well as through the Westview Flying Club. Myrna’s husband, Tom, was a pilot as well and over the years they had several small planes. The club was vibrant through the 1970s and 1980s, with many fly-ins in and out of town. “We saw a lot of each other over the years and Harold has always been considered a friend,” she said. “Harold was Harold. He was never Mr. Long. If you said, I’m going to see Harold or I need to see Harold, you knew who that was, because he was so well known.”
Myrna also remarked on his generosity, which she knew first hand from her involvement in numerous community organizations. “You just called Harold and he would go out of his way to help us, even to transport something from Vancouver. He would always be very generous.”
A celebration of Harold’s life is being held at 1 pm on Friday, May 31, at Dwight Hall, 6274 Walnut Street in Townsite.
Harold Long dies in float plane accident
Prominent businessman was elected MLA twice
A Powell River businessman and former provincial MLA died in a float plane crash near Stuart Island on Tuesday, May 21.
Harold Long, 72, owner of City Transfer Ltd., was found in an aircraft that was floating upside down in Bute Inlet on the west side of Stuart Island. He was the pilot and only occupant of the DHC-2 Beaver.
Captain Pat McSorley, duty air coordinator at the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, said the aircraft was spotted by someone coming back from a trip in a boat in the area. “They called Coast Guard radio, who relayed it to the air rescue centre,” he said. “We sent the Cormorant helicopter out of Comox and the lifeboat out of Campbell River to investigate.”
The call came in at 5:23 pm and there was one person on board, McSorley said. “At that point, we also involved the RCMP and the Transportation Safety Board,” he said.
Search and Rescue technicians, the Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP attended the scene and completed the recovery later in the day.
The BC Coroners Service, Transportation Safety Board and RCMP continue to investigate the accident.
Long was the BC Liberal MLA in the Powell River-Sunshine Coast riding from 2001 to 2005. He announced in 2004 that he would not seek re-election.
He was also the Social Credit Party MLA for the riding, which was called Mackenzie, from 1986 to 1991. As well, Long served on Powell River’s municipal council for two years, 1992 to 1993, and was a member of the mayor’s task force from 1997 to 1999.
Long joined his family's business, City Transfer, in 1958 and in 1979 purchased and expanded the company. He has four children and his two sons, Craig and Phill, run the business.
Long is remembered for his generosity and anonymous acts of kindness, as well as his love for flying.
Both Premier Christy Clark and New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix issued statements about Long’s death.
Clark served as an MLA with Long. “He embraced life with a great spirit,” she said. “There were never any strangers when Harold was around. He treated everyone exactly the same—like a friend.
“Harold’s family can be immensely proud of all his contributions and his generous nature, both of which touched so many.”
Dix, along with MLA-elect Nicholas Simons, expressed their condolences as well. “He will be remembered for his generosity, love of life and community and will be deeply missed not only by the residents of Powell River, but people across the province who got to know him as both a public figure and successful entrepreneur.”
The May 29 issue of the Peak will have more information about Long.
