Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain near High Prairie: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1984
Operator:
Registration:
C-GXUC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Edmonton - Peace River
MSN:
31-7405136
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
3Y402
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Edmonton to Peace River, while cruising by night, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions. Due to interferences, the crew was unable to receive the signal from the Whitecourt VOR and thought he already overflew the mountain range located southeast of High Prairie. Too low, the aircraft struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in a wooded area covered by snow and located on Mt Swan, southwest of Lesser Slave Lake. The wreckage was found the following day in an isolated area. A pilot and three passengers were injured while six other occupants were killed, among them the Canadian politician Walter Grant Notley aged 45.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in Toronto: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-GAPT
Survivors:
No
MSN:
31-7620004
YOM:
1976
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On approach to Toronto-Lester Bowles Pearson Airport, the twin engine airplane struck the ground and crashed about 11 km short of runway threshold. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 in Goose Bay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1984 at 1737 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-FAUS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint Anthony - Goose Bay
MSN:
34
YOM:
1967
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
17585
Circumstances:
The Twin Otter departed Goose Bay on a medical evacuation flight to St. Anthony. The flight was uneventful and landed in St. Anthony at 15:24. At 16:02, the aircraft departed St. Anthony on a VFR flight back to Goose Bay. On board were the two pilots and the doctor and nurse. Approaching the Goose Bay Airport, weather became marginal, but the crew continued visual flight. The crew likely encountered near zero forward visibility in snow showers and fog; it is probable that they were able to maintain vertical contact with the ground and were confident they could continue flight with visual reference to the ground. The crew may not have been able to see terrain ahead and therefore may not have been able to determine if the aircraft would clear the hills, particularly, when steep hills were encountered. The plane struck a rock outcropping 100 feet below the summit of a 2,050-foot mountain. After bouncing twice, the Twin Otter had come to rest in a small, wooded gully, approximately 350 feet from the initial point of impact.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the flight was attempted in mountainous terrain in marginal weather conditions. The aircraft was flown at an altitude which did not provide terrain clearance, and the aircraft struck a mountain for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 in Fort Franklin: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1984 at 1730 LT
Registration:
C-FPPL
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Norman - Fort Franklin
MSN:
115
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
NAS097
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
23645
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Fort Norman at 16:51 and arrived overhead Fort Franklin at approximately 17:15. Because Fort Franklin was shrouded in fog, a local resident contacted the pilot on a portable VHF transceiver and advised him that there was little or no visibility. The pilot replied that he did not think he would be able to land. The resident drove to the airstrip and contacted the pilot again when he heard the aircraft returning. He advised the pilot that visibility was 200-300 feet. The pilot then asked if this was the vertical or horizontal visibility. At that moment the Twin Otter struck a 200-foot-high telecommunications tower while in controlled level fight. Part of the right wing broke off and the aircraft slowly rolled over before striking the ground. The decision of the pilot to continue the approach in foggy weather were possibly influenced by the effects of stress and a greater than usual personal need to complete the flight. The stress was probably caused by the fact that the pilot had been involved in four accidents since March 1984. Although he was a very experienced pilot, his previous employer terminated his employment on 31 August 1984. In their opinion, his ability to make operational decisions was in question. The pilot was hired by Nahanni Air Services one month later.
Probable cause:
The following findings were reported:
- The weather at Fort Franklin was unsuitable for the flight,
- The flight was continued into weather below that which is required for VFR flight,
- An approach to the aerodrome was attempted using the radar altimeter to provide terrain clearance,
- The pilot descended to an altitude below the height of the telecommunications tower,
- A lack of official weather observations and of communications facilities at Fort Franklin deprived the pilot of reliable local weather information on which to base his decisions,
- There exists in the more remote areas of Canada a different attitude with regard to the assessment of risk in flight operations; it is likely that this attitude influenced the decisions and actions of the pilot,
- The operational decisions of the pilot may have been influenced by the effects of stress and a greater than usual personal need to complete the flight,
- Company management may have had a better appreciation of the risk potential associated with the recent events in the pilot's life, if they had more awareness of the effects of stress on performance.

Crash of a Cessna 500 Citation I in Orillia: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1984 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GXFZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Toronto – Muskoka
MSN:
500-0032
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
DB511
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
10996
Circumstances:
The crew departed Toronto-Lester Bowles Pearson Airport at 1107LT on a training flight to Muskoka Airport. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 9,500 feet, the crew was cleared to make a low pass over Orillia Airport. Following a passage at an altitude of about 150-200 feet and a speed of 200 knots, the crew initiated a climb when, at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the aircraft banked right then got inverted and crashed in a near vertical attitude. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Jamie Lake: 1 kiled

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-FEYZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
556
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
14000
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Jamie Lake near Watson Lake, while climbing, the left wing struck a tree. The aircraft lost height, overturned and crashed. The pilot was killed while the passenger, his son, was injured.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 Learstar II in Nanisivik

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FOZO
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
18-2209
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The undercarriage collapsed upon landing at Nanisivik Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failure upon landing for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Germansen Landing

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FBCD
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
A-611
YOM:
1951
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Germansen Landing, the twin engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and crashed in a ditch. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas B-26 Invader in Morley: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FFIM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
28496
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
Tanker 5
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While on a fire fighting mission, the left wing detached in flight and the aircraft crashed, bursting into flames. Sole on board, the pilot was killed. It is believed that the wing detached following a structural failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S in Port Hardy: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1984 at 1134 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GIFR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Hardy - Campbell River
MSN:
BA-108
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Port Hardy Airport, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. All nine occupants who were returning from a fishing camp were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft. Also, it was determined that the CofG was too far aft at the time of the accident and the pilot's experience on this type of aircraft was insufficient.