Incident Overview
Description
The aircraft departed Great Whale River, Quebec, Canada on at approximately 09:15 hours eastern standard time on a non-scheduled flight to Val d’Or, Quebec, with the pilot, a maintenance engineer and two passengers aboard. An instrument flight plan was filed prior to departure, and the aircraft was to fly at 7000 ft direct to Val d’Or, the estimated time of arrival being 12:00 hours. Following take-off CF-CRL climbed on a magnetic heading of 185ø on instruments, and the pilot was requested to report passing through 7000 ft and to continue the climb to 9000 ft. After passing routine messages, in which the freezing level of 10000 ft was included, the pilot reported at 09:28 hours that he was visual at 10000 ft and that he would maintain this altitude to Val d’Or. At 09:30 he stated he would maintain 1000 ft on top of the overcast, i.e. 11000 ft. At 09:57 the pilot requested a radio check, and Great Whale River informed him that his transmission was weak. The pilot acknowledged this message which was the last transmission received from him. The wreckage was found on 25 July, 36 miles from Rupert House, on a bearing of 153ø True. All four occupants had been killed in the crash, and the aircraft was destroyed. Investigation of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft struck the ground at high speed at an angle of 70 degrees or more from the horizontal. Probable Cause: “The cause of the accident was not conclusively determined. It should be noted, however, that the pilot took off in weather conditions below permissible limits, in an area sparsely served with aids to navigation, in an aircraft not equipped with deicing equipment.”
Primary Cause
Pilot’s actions outside of acceptable weather conditions and aircraft limitations.Pilot’s actions outside of acceptable weather conditions and aircraft limitations.Share on:
