Flying feces fiasco continues

Photo: Mike Toften

Transportation Canada is investigating a series of new flying feces cases in Kelowna. 

Reports of falling poop date back to May 2018, when a Kelowna resident was driving on Bernard Avenue as something wet fell through her sunroof. 

“It was falling from the sky … you could feel the drops hitting you,” said Susan Allan. “It stunk, it was gross. It felt dirty, and right away you could smell poop.”

Since then, almost a dozen people claimed liquid poo fell on their vehicles around Kelowna and the Fraser Valley. 

Back in 2018, Transport Canada investigated the claims and said there were no connections between "blue ice" from passing aircraft and the incidents. 

Senior spokeswoman Annie Joannette said Transport Canada takes all reports of possible debris coming from aircraft very seriously.

“In response to the 2018 reports, where specific details of aircraft or relevant information were reported, Transport Canada assessed local radar and followed up with aircraft operators, manufacturers and local airports,” said Joannette. “The department’s review has not shown a connection to blue ice from any specific aircraft or operator and required no further action for these reports."

A victim hit by what they claimed to be flying poop in 2018 was hit again recently.

The business owner off Highway 97 told Castanet that on April 26 he found a customer's vehicle splattered in liquid poo in the parking lot. 
 
''A plane must have flown by and emptied its sewage, it's really the only explanation," he said. "That is not coming from a bird. The vehicle was out there clean, and 10 minutes later it was completely covered.’'

Transport Canada said it was aware of the incident and is looking into it.

Since news of more flying feces, other concerned citizens have reached out to Castanet saying they’ve experienced similar splatter. 

“I was also a victim of the flying poo as my work vehicle was completely covered last week as well,” said Kelly Ferguson. “I washed my vehicle right away ... but it was bad."

She said there were a few other vehicles in Enterprise Way area that were also hit.

Another resident says he came out to find his truck covered in poop on April 29. 

“My truck, my landlady’s Jeep and mobile home is covered with it,” said Mike Toften. “Disgusting to say the least ... it splattered like a bunch of geese all let go exactly the same time.”

Toften says he is not exactly a “poopologist” and isn't sure what the source might have been. 

While many have speculated the brown liquid is blue ice falling from a plane, others think it could be coming from large birds. 

“I watched three times, yes three times as a blue heron pooped while in flight,” said Brian McDivitt. “(It) covered them with grey, stinky poop."

The poop just missed his house and narrowly missed him and his wife as they floated on the lake.

Transport Canada says each air operator is responsible for ensuring its aircraft operate safely and in compliance with Canadian Aviation Regulations, which state: “No person shall create a hazard to persons or property on the surface by dropping an object from an aircraft in flight.”