Incident Overview

Date: Monday 26 November 1979
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada U-1A Otter (DHC-3)
Owner/operator: Smithers Air Service
Registration Number: C-FJIK
Location: Takla Narrows, BC – ÿ Canada
Phase of Flight: Take off
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: Aircraft Structure (specifically, the aircraft’s structural limits and control system)Aircraft Structure (specifically, the aircraft’s structural limits and control system)
Category: Accident
A chartered aircraft carrying passengers and 3 cases of beer bottles experienced a catastrophic loss of control during a return flight. The aircraft rapidly pitched to a steep nose high attitude, resulting in a stall and subsequent ground impact, leading to a severe fuel-fed fire. The pilot was thrown clear, but all passengers perished in the fire. An analysis revealed a significant excess of empty beer bottles, exceeding the aircraft’s maximum allowable weight and exceeding the aircraft’s structural limits.A chartered aircraft carrying passengers and 3 cases of beer bottles experienced a catastrophic loss of control during a return flight. The aircraft rapidly pitched to a steep nose high attitude, resulting in a stall and subsequent ground impact, leading to a severe fuel-fed fire. The pilot was thrown clear, but all passengers perished in the fire. An analysis revealed a significant excess of empty beer bottles, exceeding the aircraft’s maximum allowable weight and exceeding the aircraft’s structural limits.

Description

The aircraft had been chartered to carry a stove and 3 passengers to a remote hunting and fishing lodge. on the return flight the passengers and 250 to 300 cases of empty beer bottles were to be carried. The passengers were in the cockpit and first row of seats; the rest of the aircraft was filled with beer bottles. Immediately after lift-off, the aircraft pitched to a steep nose high attitude, which the pilot was unable to prevent or correct. The aircraft stalled and fell to the ground. A severe fuel-fed fire erupted on impact and gutted the aircraft. The pilot had been thrown clear, but the pax died in the fire. Investigation determined that there were not less than 4773 bottles aboard. A weight and balance calculation based on this discovery indicates that the gross weight of the aircraft was 636 lbs over the maximum allowable, with the c of g 11.5 in aft of the rear limit. Calculations by the manufacturer indicate that the aircraft would run out of elevator control with the c of g 4 in aft of the rear limit. The pilot had estimated that a dozen bottles weighed 3 to 4 lbs, when the true weight is 7 lbs.

Primary Cause

Excessive beer bottle weight and imbalance caused by the aircraft’s structural limitations and pilot’s estimation.Excessive beer bottle weight and imbalance caused by the aircraft’s structural limitations and pilot’s estimation.

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