Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 17 September 1994
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100
Owner/operator: Pacific Coastal Airlines
Registration Number: C-FDMR
Location: Fish Egg Inlet, BC –
ÿ Canada
Phase of Flight: Initial climb
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: Down elevator control cableDown elevator control cable
Investigating Agency: TSBTSB
Category: Accident
A Twin Otter aircraft took off from Fish Egg Inlet logging camp for a 16nm VFR flight to Pruth Bay. During the flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden and violent pitch up as flaps retracted. The aircraft stalled, resulting in a crash into the water 100 feet offshore, immediately sinking. The probable cause was a failed down elevator control cable at station 376, leading to loss of control.A Twin Otter aircraft took off from Fish Egg Inlet logging camp for a 16nm VFR flight to Pruth Bay. During the flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden and violent pitch up as flaps retracted. The aircraft stalled, resulting in a crash into the water 100 feet offshore, immediately sinking. The probable cause was a failed down elevator control cable at station 376, leading to loss of control.
Description
The Twin Otter took off from Fish Egg Inlet logging camp for a 16nm VFR flight to Pruth Bay. The aircraft climbed though 100 feet, and just as the flaps were retracting, a violent pitch up was experienced. The aircraft stalled, crashed into the water 100 feet offshore and sank immediately. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The down elevator control cable failed at station 376 due to corrosion, and, as a result, the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The corrosion was not detected by the maintenance personnel during the aircraft’s last cable inspection.”
Primary Cause
Failed down elevator control cable at station 376.Failed down elevator control cable at station 376.Share on:
