Montreal | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Sydney, the aircraft was too low and hit an earth mound short of the runway threshold. On impact, an undercarriage punctured a fuel tank and a fire erupted. The aircraft landed safely but came to rest in flames and was damaged beyond repair. All 17 occupants were unhurt.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Lake Ontario

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1946

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Registration:

CF-BNG

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Montreal – Toronto

MSN:

6472

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Enroute from Montreal to Toronto, an engine caught fire. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on an icy area of the Lake Ontario. The aircraft slid on its floats before coming to rest in flames. The pilot, sole on board, was able to evacuate the aircraft and was unhurt. The twin engine aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Engine fire.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Montreal: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1942 at 1715 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

FH395

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Montreal - Montreal

MSN:

414-6685

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Montreal-Dorval Airport on a local training exercise before the airplane would be transferred to England. For unknown reasons, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Lake Saint Louis off Dorval. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Brian Gethryn Carr-Harris, pilot,
S/L George Patterson Christie, pilot,
Lac Clement Stuart Llewellyn, pilot.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-40D Electra Junior on Mt Howe Brook: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1942 at 1135 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 12 Electra Junior

Operator:

Registration:

42-22249

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bolling Field – Montreal – Presque Isle – Houlton – Montreal – Bolling Field

MSN:

1273

YOM:

1942

Location:

Mt Howe Brook

Maine

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Bolling Field AFB (Washington DC) on May 23 bound for Houlton, Maine, with intermediate stops in Montreal and Presque Isle. The crew departed Montreal at 0934LT on May 24 with a crew of two and four passengers, among them Lt Col Louis Gimbel. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the crew requested to climb to 7,000 feet and confirmed an ETA at 1134LT. In poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airports of Presque Isle and Houlton. Flying too low in low visibility, the airplane collided with trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located in the Howe Brook Mountain Range, between Presque Isle and Houlton. The airplane was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Clarence Allen Wright, pilot,
S/Sgt Frederick J. Taylor, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Lt Col Louis Stanley Gimbel Jr.,
Cpt John D. Franciscus,
Cpt Gilbert M. Herback,
2nd Lt Earl R. Wilkinson.
Sources & photos: http://www.mewreckchasers.com/C40.html

Probable cause:

The board of inquiry was unable to determine a cause, but listed weather and pilot inexperience under instrument conditions as factors. Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator in Montreal

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

FK216

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff after an elevator jammed. Damaged beyond repair. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V in Montreal: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

AM895

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Debert - Debert

MSN:

414-2977

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

248

Captain / Total hours on type:

73.00

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training flight on behalf of the 31st Operational Training Unit and was on the final of a long distance exercise. While returning to Debert Airport, Nova Scotia, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and the pilot decided to divert to Montreal-Dorval Airport. On approach, he lost control of the airplane that crashed on a barn located in Cartierville, some 6 km north of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed by fire and all four occupants were killed.
Crew (31st OTU):
P/O John Fisher Boyd, pilot,
P/O Alan Ewart Gilbert Wainwright, navigator,
Sgt Abie Kirsch, wireless operator.
Passenger:
LAC A. J. Morris.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot being forced to fly at a low altitude due to adverse weather conditions while attempting to approach the Dorval Airport, failed to see the barn and crashed onto it. Or that the pilot stalled the aircraft, commenced a spin and crashed into the barn.

Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator I in Campbeltown: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1941 at 1010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

AM915

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Montreal - Campeltown

MSN:

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Montreal at 1726LT on August 31 on a flight to Campbeltown, Scotland, carrying six passengers and four crew members, among them civilians. While on approach to Campbeltown Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds. Descending from the east at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the four engine aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Arinarach located few km south of Campbeltown. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Kenneth Dardanelles Garden, pilot,
Geoffrey Llewellyn Panes, copilot,
Charles Alvan Spence, flight engineer,
Samuel Walter Sydenham, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Lt Col Louis Harris Wrangham,
Cpt Sherwood Picking,
Count Guy de Baillet-Latour,
Professor Robert Balmain Mowat,
Dr. Mark Benjamin,
Eric Taylor.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandam915.htm

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

V9100

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Burbank - Wright-Patterson - Montreal

MSN:

414-3725

YOM:

1941

Location:

Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton)

Ohio

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was in charge to deliver the airplane to the Royal Air Force. For unknown reasons, the airplane crashed while taking off from Wright-Patterson AFB on a leg to Montreal. Both crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Ashley: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

V9103

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Burbank - Wright-Patterson - Montreal

MSN:

414-3728

YOM:

1941

Location:

Ashley

Ohio

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Burbank to deliver the airplane to the Royal Air Force. En route from Wright-Patterson AFB to Montreal, one of the engine failed. The airplane went out of control and crashed in Ashley, killing both crew members.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 594B Avian IVM in Cartierville

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Avro 594 Avian

Operator:

J. Macejunas

Registration:

CF-AIE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

325

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Montreal Airport, the engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in Cartierville. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was rescued.

Probable cause:

Engine failure after takeoff.

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