Canada

A DC-3C, registration C-FBZN, owned by Transfair was destroyed in an accident shortly after take off from the La Grande-LG-4 airstrip, QC. Both crew members were fatally injured. The system used for de-icing the wings on the ground was available at the airport, but it was not used. A broom was used to remove snow and ice from the wings. The airplane departed with some ice still present on the wings. The airplane took off at 06:35 for a visual flight rules (VFR) charter flight to Lac Bienville, QC. The aircraft, with two crew members, was transporting drums of kerosene (Jet B) for a Hydro-Quebec contractor. An eye witness said that the takeoff from runway 10 was normal and that the pilot initiated a left turn at low altitude immediately after the landing gear was retracted. But shortly after takeoff the crankshaft of the left engine failed between the two banks of cylinders. The rear section of the engine continued to operate because it was still connected to its key accessories, including the magnetos; however, its power could not be transmitted to the propeller. The tachometer, which was also mounted on the rear section of the engine, was still providing an engine rpm reading. The failure of the crankshaft caused the front part of the engine to misfire, and the pistons were no longer synchronized with the ignition timing of the magnetos. This seriously disrupted engine operation and caused a rapid decay of rpm in the front section of the engine, which drives the propeller governor. The propeller governor regulates propeller rpm by adjusting the blade pitch angle, thus maintaining the selected rpm despite variations in engine power. When the propeller governor detected a decrease in engine power, it adjusted the blades to a lower pitch angle to reduce the torque required to maintain rpm. The additional drag generated by the left propeller operating at a low pitch angle was further aggravated by the requirement for more power to windmill the propeller, as it was affected by the resistance created by the erratic functioning of the cylinder bank with which it was engaged. The crew may not have recognized the engine failure and was not able to feather the left propeller in time. A left hand turn was initiated in an attempt to return for a landing. While the pilot was trying to maintain the aircraft in flight, its critical angle of attack was probably exceeded, and the aircraft stalled in the turn.

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 twin engine aircraft was dispatched from Timmins to Chapleau on an ambulance flight, carrying two medical staffs and two pilots. A patient should be boarded in Chapleau and transferred to Sault Sainte Marie. Following an uneventful flight at FL120, the crew started a night descent to Chapleau. On a final NDB approach, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed 2,5 km southwest of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Lake Larouche. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

A Douglas DC-3C was destroyed when it crashed in Pikangikum Lake, ON, Canada. Both the pilot and the co-pilot were fatally injured in the accident. The airplane departed Red Lake Airport, ON (YRL) as Air Ontario flight 937 on a flight to Pikangikum Airport, ON (YPM). The main cargo load being carried consisted of a rubberized bladder tank containing 2,068 litres of fuel oil. Weather at the Pikangikum Airport was poor with drizzle, low clouds, and fog, with a visibility of one and one-half to two miles. The airplane was heard overflying the airport and turning over the Pikangikum Lake in preparation for a final approach and landing on runway 27. While over the water the airplane stalled and struck the ice-covered lake 180 feet south of a tree-covered island. It descended through the ice and struck the lake bottom at a depth of 8 to 12 feet. The ice thickness at the area of impact varied from one inch to three inches. Both pilots were killed.

On final approach to Fort Simpson Airport, the twin engine crashed 3 km short of runway, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Quebec. There were no casualties.

A BAe-748 cargo plane was destroyed when it crashed while on approach to Ottawa International Airport, ON (YOW), Canada. Both pilots were killed. The airplane had arrived at Montreal-Dorval International Airport, QC (YUL) following a cargo flight from Dayton, OH, USA. All the cargo was unloaded in Montreal and the aircraft departed at 09:58 for Ottawa on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The en route phase of the flight were uneventful. At about 10:19, while the aircraft was in level cruise flight at 3000 feet at approximately 200 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), the flight data recorder (FDR) recorded a full-up deflection of the left aileron and a full-down deflection of the right aileron, and the aircraft began a roll to the left at a high rate. The right aileron remained at the fully-deflected position for a period of three seconds, and then, over the next seven seconds, the deflection gradually decreased by about five degrees. During the same 10-second period, the left aileron remained nearly fully deflected for the first eight seconds, then the deflection decreased by about five degrees during the next two seconds. By this time, the aircraft had rolled through approximately 460 degrees, and the aircraft nose had dropped 20 to 30 degrees below the horizon. At this point, the ailerons suddenly returned to about the neutral position and remained there for the last three seconds of the flight. The aircraft bank angle remained at approximately 90 degrees of left bank with a maximum vertical g of 4.7 recorded. The aircraft struck the ground at an airspeed of approximately 290 KIAS after a heading change of about 75 degrees left of the cruise heading. At impact, the aircraft bank angle was nearly 90 degrees left and the pitch angle was 41 degrees down. The time from the initial aileron deflection to ground impact was approximately 18 seconds.

The pilot had successfully completed 10 or 12 landings in other parts of the large lake. He flew the aircraft to the southeast end of the lake and carried out a successful touch-and-go landing and initiated another circuit and approach to land in the same area. Following touchdown, the right outer wing struck the water, and the aircraft nosed over and began to sink. The pilot was able to escape from the aircraft before it submerged. The pilot held a valid Airline Transport Pilot Licence and was acquiring solo time in order to obtain a float endorsement. He had completed 6.1 hours of time on the aircraft, 3.1 of this solo time. The pilot had not reported any difficulty with the previous landings; prior to this touchdown, he had to adjust his approach slightly to the right of his intended landing path to avoid water traffic. The pilot reported that the wind was blowing from about 330° at 5 to 10 knots which would have resulted in a 20° crosswind from the right of his landing path. Weather observations taken at Muskoka Airport and North Bay Airport at about the time of the occurrence reported the wind direction and speed to be 280° true at 10 gusting to 15 knots and 240° at nine knots respectively. Ahmic Lake is equidistant from these two airports, that is about 35 miles from each. Using these reported winds, this would result in a crosswind component of between 30 and 70° from the left. Damage to the aircraft's right wing and float suggested that, on touchdown, the aircraft may have been drifting to the right, resulting in the right float ploughing into the water, followed by the right wing striking the surface of the lake. Careful examination of the damaged right float confirmed that there was no evidence of collision with a floating or submerged object. The float bow had been driven upwards and inwards, resulting in overload failures in the float structure ahead of the spreader strut attachments. This damage pattern is consistent with that which would result from hydrodynamic forces acting on the float structure at touchdown with the aircraft in in a slightly nose-down attitude and drifting to the right. Damage to the right wing was also due to water impact. All float attach brackets and struts had failed under overload conditions when the aircraft nosed over. The pilot had limited experience on float-equipped aircraft and may not have recognized drift or wind direction prior to touchdown. The lake was large enough for an into wind landing. No faults were found in the aircraft's control systems or float structure which would have contributed to the accident. The damage pattern indicated that the aircraft touched down in a slightly nose-down attitude, drifting to the right. Hydrodynamic forces acting on the right float following touchdown resulted in the right outer wing striking the water. The aircraft, as a result, nosed over and sank.
Source: www.dhc-2.com

After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.