High Level | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While descending to La Crete Airport, the pilot encountered foggy conditions and the visibility dropped to 100 metres. By night, the single engine aircraft descended too low, impacted ground and crashed in a snow covered field located few km northeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot continued the descent under VFR mode in IMC conditions, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-45-DT Invader in Rainbow Lake

Date & Time: Aug 12, 2004

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Registration:

C-FCBK

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Rainbow Lake - High Level

MSN:

28940

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

Tanker 11

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was engaged in a fire fighting mission and was supposed to leave Rainbow Lake for High Level. During the takeoff roll, at a speed of 90 knots, one of the engine lost power. The pilot rejected takeoff and released the load of fire retardant. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, rolled for about 1,200 feet then struck a drainage ditch and came to rest. The pilot was seriously injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Rainbow Lake

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1998 at 1935 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Operator:

Airco Aircraft Charters

Registration:

C-FZBW

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Rainbow Lake – High Level – Edmonton – Calgary

MSN:

31-8152096

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3700

Captain / Total hours on type:

93.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

632

Copilot / Total hours on type:

277

Circumstances:

The Airco Aircraft Charters Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain, serial number 31-8152096, had been chartered by Northern Sky Aviation to complete a daily passenger flight from the Edmonton City Centre Airport to High Level, Rainbow Lake, Edmonton, and Calgary, Alberta. The flight from Edmonton to High Level and Rainbow Lake was uneventful. Following a routine landing and turn around, the aircraft departed Rainbow Lake in darkness, at 1935 mountain standard time (MST), on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Edmonton. Shortly after take-off from runway 27, the aircraft collided with trees and terrain approximately 3 000 feet west of the departure end of the runway. The nine occupants sustained minor injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. Immediately following the evacuation of the aircraft, a Rainbow Lake passenger initiated the local emergency response by cell phone. Volunteer ground rescue personnel organized a snowmobile search, and a helicopter was dispatched from the airport to conduct an aerial search. The ground search was hampered by darkness, dense forest, cold temperatures, and deep snow. The helicopter pilot located the aircraft wreckage on his first pass over the departure corridor and, following his immediate return to the airport, he lead the ground rescuers to the accident site. Rescuers reached the accident site approximately one and one-half hours after the occurrence and assisted all of the survivors to the Rainbow Lake nursing station.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was inadvertently flown into trees and the ground, in controlled flight and dark ambient conditions, during a night departure because a positive rate of climb was not maintained after take off. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot’s concentrating on blue line speed rather than maintaining a positive rate of climb, the dark ambient conditions, a departure profile into rising terrain, an overweight aircraft, and crew resource mismanagement.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near High Level: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1991 at 0700 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

John P. Larche

Registration:

C-FJPL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

811

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying in marginal weather conditions (low clouds), the single engine aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Watt, about 11 km northwest of High Level. The pilot was injured while the passenger was killed.