Frobisher Bay | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Frobisher Bay Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went into a nose-up attitude, stalled and crashed into the sea. All three crew members who were performing a cargo flight were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the cargo was wrongly secured and shifted after rotation, causing the aircraft to stall and crash.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II in Frobisher Bay

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Operator:

Registration:

52-0991

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Churchill - Frobisher Bay

MSN:

43900

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Frobisher Bay Airport (Iqaluit), the four engine aircraft dipped below the level of the runway, then get the correct level. It almost made it but the landing gear caught on the very end of the runway and the plane did a cartwheel which tore off the starboard wing. The nose did not touch the runway, but the entire plane flipped over, broke up into many pieces and caught fire. All five crew members were seriously injured and evacuated to Goose Bay. The aircraft was totally destroyed. The engine number one continued to function for a day or so before the decision was made to shut off the fuel supply. The crew was performing a cargo flight from Churchill, carrying a load of Snow Cats (Bombardier Snowmobiles).
Source & photos: Ray White

Crash of a Douglas C-47B Dakota III in Frobisher Bay

Date & Time: May 6, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

980

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

15199/26644

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Frobisher Bay, NWT (now Iqaluit, Nunavut).

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet on Ellesmere Island

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-82 Packet

Operator:

Registration:

45-57798

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Frobisher Bay - Resolute Bay

MSN:

10168

YOM:

1945

Location:

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Region:

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Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft suffered a fuel exhaustion and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing on Ellesmere Island, about 511 km northwest of Resolute Bay, Nunavut. All seven crew members were rescued while the aircraft was abandoned on site.