Kenora | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft departed Kenora, Ontario, on a flight to Milwaukee with an intermediate stop at International Falls Airport, carrying eight passengers and a pilot. En route, both engines failed and the pilot was vectored to Watertown Airport for an emergency landing. On approach, he realized we would not make it so he raised the landing gear and completed a belly landing in a field. The airplane slid for dozen yards and came to rest. All nine occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of both engines and wheels-up landing caused by a fuel exhaustion. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Miscalculation of fuel consumption,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Approach completed on closed runway,
- Failed to refuel.

Final Report:

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman IV off Kenora

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1958 at 1020 LT

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Parson's Airways

Registration:

CF-BZM

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Malachi – Kenora

MSN:

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7865

Captain / Total hours on type:

4500.00

Circumstances:

At 1005LT, the Norseman IV registered CF-BZM took off from Malachi, Ontario, bound for Kenora on a non-scheduled flight with a pilot and 3 passengers on board. At about 1020LT the aircraft arrived over Keewatin approximately 2 miles west of Kenora, at an altitude of 1,500 feet, heading downwind, and started a routine left-hand circuit, descending on the downwind leg to 1,000 feet. The aircraft turned at 800 feet into the wind which was WNW and descended at a rate of 500 to 700 feet per minute. At about 20 feet above the water, the pilot saw a red and yellow flash on his right wing tip and then heard a loud noise. The aircraft went out of control, rolled to the left then right and crashed into the lake In a slightly nose-down attitude, swung 200 degrees and came to a stop in a southerly direction about 60 ft from the other aircraft. On the same day, a second Norseman VI registered CF-IRH took off from Bell Lake, Ontario, on a non-scheduled flight with the pilot and 7 passengers on board. At about 1020LT, the aircraft arrived in the vicinity of Kenora and turned onto the final leg of the approach to land, about 1,5 mile from the selected landing area. A straight power-an approach for approximately one mile was made and when about 20 feet above the water, the pilot looked out of the left window, saw the streamlined portion of a wing tip of another aircraft and heard the noise of the impact. The aircraft went out of control, struck the water, bounced about 25 feet, dived into the water and turned over. CF-BZM was destroyed while CF-IRH was substantially damaged. No fatalities occurred but one of the passengers on CF-IRH was seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Both pilots failed to maintain an adequate look-out during the initial and final stages of the approach for landing. The two aircraft were flown on converging courses and a collision ensued at a height of approximately 20 feet above the surface of the water.

Final Report:

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman in Ball Lake: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Registration:

CF-DRF

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Kenora – Red Lake

MSN:

429

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Kenora to Red Lake, weather conditions deteriorated with heavy snow falls. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the single engine airplane crashed onto the icy Ball Lake. Rescuers arrived a day later and the pilot was seriously injured. All three passengers were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth at Duck Lake

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth

Operator:

Registration:

CF-BNP

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

FM.8

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff from Duck Lake in Kenora. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was the property of Robert R. Colley.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth in East Bug Lake

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1935

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth

Operator:

A. H. Farringdon

Registration:

CF-APH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Red Lake – Kenora

MSN:

4050

YOM:

1933

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Red Lake to Kenora, the airplane caught fire. The pilot attempted an emergency in East Bug Lake. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the airplane caught fire in flight following a malfunction of the heater system.