Nanaimo

On 09 December 2019, a private Piper Aerostar PA-60-602P aircraft (registration C-FQYW, serial number 60-8265020), departed Cabo San Lucas International Airport (MMSL), Baja California Sur, Mexico, with 3 people on board, for a 2-day trip to Nanaimo Airport (CYCD), British Columbia (BC). As planned the aircraft stopped for an overnight rest at Chino Airport (KCNO), California, U.S. At 1142, on 10 December 2019, the aircraft departed KCNO on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan to Bishop Airport (KBIH), California, U.S., for a planned fuel stop. The aircraft departed KBIH at approximately 1425 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan to CYCD. On 10 December 2019, night started at 1654. At 1741, the Vancouver area control centre air traffic controller advised the pilot that an aerodrome special meteorological report (SPECI) had been issued for CYCD at 1731. The SPECI reported visibility as 2 ½ statute miles (SM) in light drizzle and mist, with an overcast ceiling of 400 feet above ground level (AGL). The pilot informed the controller that he would be conducting an instrument landing system (ILS) approach for Runway 16. At 1749, when the aircraft was approximately 32 nautical miles (NM) south of CYCD, the pilot contacted the controller to inquire about the weather conditions at Victoria International Airport (CYYJ), BC. The controller informed the pilot that a SPECI was issued for CYYJ at 1709 and it reported the visibility as 5 SM in mist, a broken ceiling at 600 feet AGL, and an overcast layer at 1200 feet AGL. The controller provided the occurrence flight with pilot observations from another aircraft that had landed at CYCD approximately 15 minutes before. That crew had reported being able to see the Runway 16 approach lights at minimums, i.e., at 373 feet AGL. Between 1753 and 1802, the controller provided vectors to the pilot in order to intercept the ILS localizer. At 1803, the controller observed that the aircraft had not intercepted the localizer for Runway 16. The aircraft had continued to the southwest, past the localizer, at an altitude of 2100 feet above sea level (ASL) and a ground speed of 140 knots. The controller queried the pilot to confirm that he was still planning to intercept the ILS for Runway 16. The pilot confirmed that he would be intercepting the ILS as planned. The aircraft made a heading correction and momentarily lined up with the localizer before beginning a turn to the west. At 1804:03, the pilot requested vectors from the controller and informed him that he “just had a fail.” The controller responded with instructions to “turn left heading zero nine zero, tight left turn.” The pilot asked the controller to repeat the heading. The controller responded with instructions to “…turn right heading three six zero.” The pilot acknowledged the heading; however, the aircraft continued turning right beyond the assigned heading while climbing to 2500 feet ASL and slowing to a ground speed of 80 knots. The aircraft then began to descend, picking up speed as it was losing altitude. At 1804:33, the aircraft descended to 1800 feet ASL and reached a ground speed of 160 knots. At 1804:40, the pilot informed the air traffic controller that the aircraft had lost its attitude indicator.Footnote6 At the same time, the aircraft was climbing into a 2nd right turn. At 1804:44, the air traffic controller asked the pilot what he needed from him; the pilot replied he needed a heading. The controller provided the pilot with a heading of three six zero. At 1804:47, the aircraft reached an altitude of 2700 feet ASL and a ground speed of 60 knots. The aircraft continued its right turn and began to lose altitude. The controller instructed the pilot to gain altitude if he was able to; however, the pilot did not acknowledge the instruction. The last encoded radar return for the aircraft was at 1805:26, when the aircraft was at 300 feet ASL and travelling at a ground speed of 120 knotsControl of the aircraft was lost. The aircraft collided with a power pole and trees in a wooded park area on Gabriola Island, BC, and then impacted the ground. The aircraft broke into pieces and caught fire. The 3 occupants on board received fatal injuries. As a result of being damaged in the accident, the emergency locator transmitter (Artex ME406, serial number 188-00293) did not activate.

The aircraft was on a scheduled cargo flight from Nanaimo, British Columbia, to the civilian terminal on the south side of the military airbase at Comox, British Columbia. The crew members established communication with the Comox tower when they were at about 2000 feet over Hornby Island, 12 nautical miles southeast of Comox, and requested a practice back course/localizer approach to Runway 30, circling for landing on Runway 18. The request was approved and the aircraft continued inbound. When the aircraft was about two miles from the threshold of Runway 30, the crew declared an emergency for an engine fire in the right engine. The tower alerted the airport response teams and requested standard data from the crew concerning the number of people and amount of fuel on board. Less than 30 seconds after the crew first reported the emergency, the aircraft was engulfed in flames. Shortly thereafter, at 0741 Pacific daylight time, the aircraft rolled inverted and struck the ground in a steep, nose-down, left-wing-low attitude. The aircraft broke apart and burned. Both crew members were fatally injured.

The float equipped Beechcraft C18S was chartered to carry eight workers from Nanaimo to Port Mellon. After takeoff from the Nanaimo-Cassidy seaplane base, the pilot encountered difficulties to gain height. In poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft continued at a height of about 16 metres and rolled left and right. The aircraft entered a 30° left turn, causing the left wing tip to struck the water surface. The aircraft cartwheeled, crashed, exploded and sank. Quickly on the scene, in the Strait of Georgia, fishermen were able to rescue two passengers who were seriously injured (burned) while seven other occupants were killed.

As the flight was approaching the destination, at night, the pilot obtained vectors for a descent over mountainous terrain. During the approach, he cancelled the IFR flight plan and the aircraft descended below radar coverage. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain, northwest of the destination airport. Impact occurred in a wooded area at an elevation of about 2,700 feet. The ELT did not activate during the accident. A search was initiated on 12/1/90, but the aircraft and surviving passenger were not found until the next day. The Canadian ATP pilot and other four passengers were fatally injured. After initial impact with trees, the main portion of the fuselage traveled about 1,000 feet before coming to rest. No preimpact mechanical problem was found.

While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the seaplane struck the slope of Mt Hooper located 45 km southwest of Nanaimo. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 11 occupants were killed.

The aircraft left Kildala at 1532 bound for Vancouver carrying twenty passengers and a crew of three. At 1733 the aircraft reported over Sullivan Bay and gave its ETA Vancouver as 1840. At 1825 the ETA Vancouver was revised to 1903 on account of strong southeast winds. The next and last radio transmission received was at 1848 when the aircraft reported it was 20 miles west of Vancouver at 2,000 feet and requested clearance to the tower frequency. At approximately 1855 hours the aircraft crashed into Mount Benson. All occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

En route from Vancouver to Zeballos, the engine caught fire. The pilot reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. Upon touchdown, the single engine aircraft overturned and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. All four occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.