Canada

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Murray Lake. There were no casualties.

On approximately 25-May-1986, the aircraft landed on lake ice at Reliance, NWT; while taxiing the nose gear settled into a crack in the ice. The people of the community managed to prevent the aircraft from sinking further using pallets and empty drums. While the insurance company assessed methods of possibly removing the aircraft it continued to sink, eventually to a depth where only the tail remained above water. A military Chinook helicopter was eventually dispatched to Reliance, and it successfully lifted the aircraft out of the lake, and set it down in front of the weather station pending preparations to sling load it 143 nm to Yellowknife. After lift off, and a distance of approximately 200 yards the helicopter's load master elected to drop the aircraft, which plowed nose first into the lake, through the remaining lake ice. Some parts were salvageable and barged back to Yellowknife, however the aircraft was a total loss.
Text & photos : www.twinotterworld.com

The aircraft was on its way to the south of the US with one pilot and four golfers on board. Shortly after takeoff from runway 15, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled, hit trees and crashed in a field located 200 yards from the Woodbine Avenue. The pilot was killed while all four passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

A wheel/ski-equipped DHC-3 Otter aircraft was on the return leg of a charter flight to Snegamook Lake to retrieve a hunting party of four, along with their hunting gear and bounty of several hundred ptarmigan. It departed Snegamook Lake at 09:15. After takeoff, the engine began to run rough but improved somewhat when the power was reduced for cruising. As the aircraft was approaching Nipishish Lake, the pilot reported to company dispatch that the engine was again running rough, but he was able to maintain altitude, and he would follow the Crooked River toward Goose Bay in case a precautionary landing became necessary. Three minutes later, C-FAGM called dispatch again, advising them that he was intending to land on a large area on the Crooked River. He also indicated that there was an odour of smoke in the aircraft. The aircraft was in a nose-down, left- bank attitude, with the flaps fully extended and the skis retracted when it struck the frozen surface of the river. The Otter bounced clear of the surface, turned left came to rest in an upright position.

Crashed in unknown circumstances on a glacier located on Mt Lloyd George. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft, with two crew members, two passengers, and a load of cargo, struck a 150-foot-high radio tower, while the crew was manoeuvring to land in poor weather. As the aircraft then became difficult to control, the crew carried out a wheels-up forced landing. During the landing, the cargo of drums containing automotive gasoline broke free, causing damage and trapping the passengers. Once the drums were moved, the passengers were able to leave the aircraft through the cockpit escape hatch. The pilot-in-command and a passenger were seriously injured. The Canadian Aviation Safety Board determined that the flight was continued into below VFR weather conditions. In addition, it was determined that the cargo had not been secured in accordance with the requirements of the company's operating certificate.

Struck trees, lost height and crashed on an icy lake located near Little Grand Rapids. Both occupants were killed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

The aircraft departed the Welcome Bay ice strip at Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan. This was the second leg of a flight that originated at La Ronge, Saskatchewan. On board were two Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) pilots, another member of the force, and an inspector from the Saskatchewan Department of Public Works. Witnesses stated that the aircraft took off normally, levelled momentarily, then climbed steeply into cloud Moments later, they heard the engine noise increase abruptly, then decrease rapidly, followed by a sound similar to a backfire. When the aircraft reappeared, it was in a steep, nose down, right-wing-low attitude. It crashed on the ice, one mile north of Welcome Bay; all four occupants sustained fatal injuries.

On 11 December 1985, Arrow Air Flight MF1285R, a Douglas DC-8-63, U.S. registration N950JW, departed Cairo, Egypt on an international charter flight to Fort Campbell, Kentucky (Ky), U.S.A. via Cologne, Germany, and Gander, Newfoundland. On board were 8 crew members and 248 passengers. The flight was the return portion of the second in a series of three planned troop rotation flights originating at McChord Air Force Base (AFB), Washington, U.S.A. and terminating in Fort Campbell. The flight had been chartered by the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) to transport troops, their personal effects, and some military equipment to and from peacekeeping duties in the Sinai Desert. All 248 passengers who departed Cairo on 11 December 1985 were members of 101st Airborne Division (United States Army), based in Fort Campbell. The flight departed Cairo at 2035 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and arrived at Cologne at 0121, 12 December 1985 for a planned technical stop. A complete crew change took place following which the flight departed for Gander at 0250. The flight arrived at Gander at 0904. Passengers were deplaned, the aircraft was refuelled, trash and waste water were removed, and catering supplies were boarded. The flight engineer was observed to conduct an external inspection of portions of the aircraft. The passengers then reboarded. Following engine start-up, the aircraft was taxied via taxiway "D" and runway 13 to runway 22 for departure. Take-off on runway 22 was begun from the intersection of runway 13 at 1015. The aircraft was observed to proceed down the runway and rotate in the vicinity of taxiway "A". Witnesses to the take-off reported that the aircraft gained little altitude after rotation and began to descend. Several witnesses, who were travelling on the Trans-Canada Highway approximately 900 feet beyond the departure end of runway 22, testified that the aircraft crossed the highway, which is at a lower elevation than the runway, at a very low altitude. Three described a yellow/orange glow emanating from the aircraft. Two of the witnesses testified that the glow was bright enough to illuminate the interior of the truck cabs they were driving. The third attributed the glow to the reflection of the runway approach lighting on the aircraft. Several witnesses observed the aircraft in a right bank as it crossed the Trans-Canada Highway. The pitch angle was also seen to increase, but the aircraft continued to descend until it struck downsloping terrain approximately 3,000 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a severe fuel-fed fire. All 256 occupants on board sustained fatal injuries.