Waskaganish

While approaching Waskaganish Airport, the crew encountered bad weather conditions and due to poor visibility, the captain initiated a go-around. During the next minutes, three other attempts to land were abandoned. During the fifth attempt to land, the aircraft descended too low and crashed short of runway 06 threshold. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft was on a non-scheduled flight from Moosonee to Nemiscan Settlement. The pilot stated that he used the rear fuel tanks for takeoff and cruise and that they contained about 150 gallons of fuel, with about 10-15 gallons in each of the front tanks. The power settings used for the flight were about 28 inches manifold pressure and 2050 rpm with automatic lean mixture. About 50 minutes after takeoff the left engine fuel pressure dropped to zero, and the engine failed. The booster pumps were switched on and the tank selections were changed without effect. At this time the right engine fuel pressure dropped to zero, and the engine failed. Attempts to re-start were unsuccessful and when the aircraft was 200 ft above the ground the pilot realized he could not reach the Rupert River. A forced landing was made into trees about 1000 ft from the river with the undercarriage down. Both pilots were severely injured.
Examination of the wreckage showed that the front fuel tanks were empty and no fuel had apparently been used from either of the rear tanks.

The aircraft, owned by the Photographic Survey Corporation Limited, departed Great Whale River at approximately 0915 hours eastern standard time on a non-scheduled flight to Val d'Or, with the pilot, a maintenance engineer and two passengers aboard. An instrument flight plan was filed prior to departure, and the aircraft was to fly at 7 000 ft direct to Val d'Or, the estimated time of arrival being 1200 hours. Following take-off CF-CRL climbed on a magnetic heading of 185° on instruments, and the pilot was requested to report passing through 7 000 ft and to continue the climb to 9 000 ft. After passing routine messages, in which the freezing level of 10 000 ft was included, the pilot reported at 0928 hours that he was visual at 10 000 ft and that he would maintain this altitude to Val d'Or. At 0930 he stated he would maintain 1 000 ft on top of the overcast, i.e. 11 000 ft. At 0957 the pilot requested a radio check, and Great Whale River informed him that his transmission was weak. The pilot acknowledged this message which was the last transmission received from him. At 1600 hours the RCAF Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Trenton, Ontario was notified that the aircraft was overdue, and a search was begun. The wreckage was found on 25 July, 36 miles from Rupert House, P. Q., on a bearing of 153° True. All four occupants had been killed in the crash, and the aircraft was destroyed.