Canada | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew departed Calgary Airport on a local familiarization exercise. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was seen descending in a steep left hand spiral at 200 feet elevation and disappeared from view, crashing to the ground. The pilot was killed and both other occupants were slightly injured.
Crew:
Sgt J. P. Brunell, pilot, †
LAC R. C. Ellcott,
LAC E. T. S. Crossley.

Probable cause:

Atmospheric conditions frosted the windows over and obscured the pilot's vision, perhaps when the pilots were operating the undercarriage. The aircraft was allowed to go into a downward left hand turn and crashed before the captain could effect recovery. A relatively inexperienced staff pilot permitted a pupil to takeoff, contrary to instructions.

Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Pincher Creek

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1941 at 1345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

6224

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Fort McLeod - Fort McLeod

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Fort McLeod on an instructional flight. As the crew neared Pincher Creek, the airplane went through thin patched of cloud. The pilot came down slowly through mist and in doing so hit rising ground. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O R. J. Mansfield, pilot,
LAC M. J. Strong, navigator.
Passenger:
AC2 A. A. Reith.

Probable cause:

Disobedience by the captain of the aircraft in carrying out dangerous and unauthorized law flying. Having dived dangerously, under adverse weather conditions, the secondary cause was an error of judgment on the part the of the captain of the aircraft in failing to pull out in sufficient time to avoid rising round.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna Crane I on Grosse Isle: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1941 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna T-50 Bobcat (AT-8/AT-17/UC-78 & Crane)

Operator:

Registration:

7662

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Winnipeg - Winnipeg

MSN:

1105

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane had just been delivered from Cessna Aircraft and departed Winnipeg Airport on a local test flight, carrying three people, one pilot and two civilians. After takeoff, the airplane looped, rolled and crashed into ground in a vertical dive in Grosse Isle, about 22 km northwest of Winnipeg Airport. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O R. S. Dixon.
Passengers:
L. Malatka,
S. S. Muddeman.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft S18A in Bruce Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1941 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft S18

Operator:

Registration:

CF-BGY

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Red Lake – Hudson

MSN:

172

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Red Lake on a cargo flight to Hudson, carrying one passenger (a miner) and one pilot. En route, it went out of control and crashed in Bruce Lake. The fuselage of the plane apparently had smashed through the ice to the lake bottom. Both occupants were killed.
Crew:
R. W. 'Bud' Starratt, pilot and son of the airline's president.
Passenger:
H. Laaija.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot became incapacitated in flight due to an unknown intoxication.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RCAF Rivers: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1941 at 1900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

6016

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Rivers - Rivers

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

346

Captain / Total hours on type:

246.00

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed RCAF Rivers on a local navigation exercise. While climbing at night at an altitude of 400 feet, it was turning gently to the east when it climbed rapidly and fell off on the right wing and the nose dropped. The right wing tip hit ground first, almost vertically, and the aircraft burst into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Michael Desmond McBrien, pilot,
Sgt Edward John Pink, navigator,
Sgt G. J. Lewis, navigator,
Sgt James Douglas Ross, observer, navigator,
LAC Leonard Joseph Gray, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

The pilot became confused on entering a low lying fog bank and was unable to recover from the dive consequent upon his having carried out what was in effect, a stall turn to the right before his starboard wing struck the ground at great speed.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Unserviceable blind flying instruments,
- A sudden deterioration of the weather conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth in Chilliwack

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

R. Wells

Registration:

CF-AGJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

1349

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing, the single engine aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.

Crash of a Fairchild 71 near Carcross

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild 71

Operator:

Northern Airways

Registration:

CF-ABM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

622

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing 32 km southeast of Carcross, Yukon. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman in Nanaimo

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Ginger Coote Airways

Registration:

CF-AZE

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Vancouver – Zeballos

MSN:

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

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.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth in Toronto

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1940

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

CF-CAA

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Toronto - Toronto

MSN:

729

YOM:

12928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a local solo training flight and was practicing stalls and forced landings. On approach to Toronto Airfield, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was slightly injured.

Crash of a Fairchild Super 71 in Lost Bay

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild 71

Operator:

Registration:

CF-AUJ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taking off from the Lost Bay, near Sioux Lookout, the single engine floatplane collided with a tree trunk floating on water, overturned and sank. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Collision with a tree trunk upon takeoff.

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