DHC-3, msn 445, was delivered to Trans Provincial Air Carriers Ltd. in Terrace, BC in Aug. 1964. Changed name to Trans Provincial Airlines after buying two routes from PWA. TPA served forestry, mining, fishing and First National sites on the NW BC coast from bases at the Terrace, the Seal Cove seaplane base in Prince Rupert and Sandspit Airport. In June 1980 it was delivering groceries to an exploration camp on Crescent Inlet, about 55 km S of Sandspit, when the tide started to go out almost grounding the Otter! This inlet is now the northern boundary of the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve.

On August 8, 1964, this Otter was delivered to Trans Provincial Air Carriers. Later re-named Trans Provincial Airlines, TPA would fly this Otter for the next 29 years. Although owned by Air BC after 1981, the airline kept operating under it's own name. In 1991, the airline began an expansion with larger aircraft (DHC-6, CV580 and Bristol Freighters) but the expense brought them down in 1993 with C-FRHW sold by receivers in 1993. Still flying, the aircraft had a Texas Turbine conversion in 2008.

The Otter was being gently moved through a ginseng field on its way to nearby Duck Lake. See here.

The Otter had just left the confines of the Kelowna (YLW) airport and was on its tricky journey to Duck Lake where it would be launched and flown away. See here. In this photo the Otter was moving through a cattle ranch. The cows were indifferent.

Brought from Kelowna airport and launched in Duck Lake nearby for flight to Northern Manitoba. See here. Hip waders required by launch crew. The Otter has since been turbinized with a Garrett turbine engine.