The Yukon Government (YG) is named as the defendant in a lawsuit launched by COPA member Alexander Lansfield, the owner of an amateur-built Pacer Colt replica (specifically, an Airmax Super Colt) that was damaged when shingles blew off an airport building and shredded the airplane’s fabric skin.

Lansfield told eFlight that he had parked his airplane at a tie-down spot near Haines Junction’s airport terminal building (CYHT), and that on March 18, 2019, strong winds blew in from Kluane Park. Shingles from the terminal building roof became detached and were blown onto his airplane.

“The aircraft was unflyable,” Lansfield told eFlight. In addition to torn fabric, there was extensive cosmetic damage as well. Lansfield estimates the damage to amount to $25,000.

When Lansfield first registered his claim, the YG, operator of the airport, dispatched a claims adjuster who immediately suggested that winds were an ‘act of God’, resulting in the YG denying the claim. Lansfield urged them to reconsider, citing knowledge and experience he gained in building maintenance and statistics on local wind patterns, but to no avail. This has led Lansfield to launch his lawsuit.

The terminal building roof at Haines Junction has yet to be repaired. In the meantime, Lansfield has relocated his plane to a non-YG-owned tie-down spot at Whitehorse airport (CYXY).

The YG has until July 2 to respond.