Crash of a Saunders ST-27 in Saint John's

Date & Time: May 28, 1984 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FCNT
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saint Anthony – Saint John’s
MSN:
007
YOM:
1972
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon touchdown at St John's Airport, the left main gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on its belly and was damaged beyond repair. All eight occupants evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
The damper lever jack, the main jack, and the lever stay link of the left gear assembly had failed in overload prior to landing. The cause of the failure could not be determined.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso in Thunder Bay

Date & Time: May 14, 1984
Registration:
C-GFFD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thunder Bay - Thunder Bay
MSN:
CV-441
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
Tanker 5
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Thunder Bay, while climbing, the right engine failed while the left engine lost power. The aircraft descended, struck obstacles and eventually crashed in a prairie. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines during initial climb because the fuel was contaminated by water.

Crash of a Boeing 737-275 in Calgary

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1984 at 0742 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GQPW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calgary - Edmonton
MSN:
22265/755
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
PW501
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
114
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
7447
Circumstances:
Pacific Western Airlines scheduled early morning flight 501 to Edmonton was pushed-back from the gate at 07:35. After engine start the aircraft taxied to runway 34 for departure. Takeoff was begun at 07:42 from the intersection of runway 34 and taxiway C-1. About 20 seconds into the takeoff roll, at an airspeed of approximately 70 knots, the flightcrew heard a loud bang which was accompanied by a slight veer to the left. The captain immediately rejected the takeoff using brakes and reverse thrust. Both the crew members suspected a tire on the left main landing gear had blown. The captain decided to taxi clear of the runway at taxiway C-4. Approaching C-4, the crew a.o. noted that left engine low pressure unit rpm was indicating 0 per cent. Twenty-three seconds after the initiation of the rejected takeoff, the first officer called clear of the runway on tower frequency: "501 clear here on Charlie 4". The purser then entered the flight deck and reported a fire on the left wing. The control tower then confirmed that there was a fire: "Considerable amount off the back - on the left side engine there - and - eh - it's starting to diminish there. Eh - there's a fire going on the left side." One minute and two seconds had passed since the initiation of the rejected takeoff. Immediately after this the purser further stated that "the whole left-hand side, the whole back side of it is burning". The captain discharged a fire bottle into the engine and the first officer requested emergency equipment. At an elapsed time of 1 minute 36 seconds, the cockpit fire warning bell activated. Simultaneously, the purser re-entered the cockpit and reported that it was getting bad at the back. The captain stopped the aircraft the crew then carried out the procedures for an emergency evacuation, which was initiated at an elapsed time of 1 minute 55 seconds. All 119 occupants were evacuated, among them 29 were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- An uncontained rupture of the left engine thirteenth stage compressor disc occurred approximately 1,300 feet into the take-off roll,
- Failure of the disc was the result of fatigue cracking at three main locations in the rear snap and adjacent to 6 of the 12 tie-bolt holes,
- Fatigue cracking initiated as a result of an unidentified combination of factors which developed progressively over an undefined period of time, following the last major overhaul in May 1981,
- Some stator repair procedures carried out at the last major overhaul were not in accordance with the provisions of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine overhaul manual; as a result, deficiencies in the thirteenth stage stator assembly occurred,
- The ruptured piece of the compressor disc exited the engine and penetrated the left lower inboard wing skin, puncturing a fuel cell,
- Fuel leaking from the punctured fuel cell was ignited instantaneously,
- The fuel-fed fire increased in size and engulfed the left wing and aft section of the aircraft.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver off Port McNeill: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FRQW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
618
YOM:
1954
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Port McNeill, Vancouver island, BC. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 in Paulatuk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1983 at 1310 LT
Registration:
C-FGJK
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Inuvik - Paulatuk
MSN:
213
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On approach to Paulatuk Airport, the pilot encountered marginal weather conditions with strong cross winds and blowing snow. On short final, while making a transition from visual to instruments flight rules, the pilot decided to initiate a go-around when the left wing struck the ground. Out of control, the aircraft veered to the left and came to rest. The pilot and a passenger were killed while 10 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The Paulatuk aerodrome runway is not oriented to correspond with the prevailing winds,
- Environment Canada does not produce an aerodrome forecast for Paulatuk,
- As the aircraft landed, the crosswind from the right increased appreciably reducing visibility in blowing snow,
- During the overshoot, as the pilot was making the transition from visual to instrument flight conditions, control of the aircraft was lost,
- The aircraft was overloaded by 840 lbs.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Landsdowne House: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1983
Operator:
Registration:
C-GTLA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sandy Lake – Landsdowne House – Thunder Bay
MSN:
632
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The Twin Otter was completing a schedule service from Sandy Lake to Thunder Bay with an intermediate stop in Landsdowne House, carrying five passengers and two pilots. On approach, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. A second circuit was completed without losing sight of the airfield. During the second attempt to land, the pilot-in-command reported 'runway in sight' and the copilot called for radioaltimer at 200 feet altitude. On short final, the captain reported he was encountering whiteout conditions when the airplane struck the snow-covered and icy surface of the lake about 1,200 feet short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the nose gear was torn off then the aircraft struck rocky terrain and eventually came to rest in flames about 600 feet short of runway. A passenger was seriously injured while both pilots escaped with minor injuries. Four passengers were killed in the accident.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred during a visual approach in reduced visibility and difficult weather conditions (white conditions). Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Canadair CL-215-1A10 in Montreal

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GKEE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Montreal - Montreal
MSN:
1078
YOM:
1983
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a demo flight at Montreal-Dorval Airport for federal politicians and Canadair officials. Following a single engine low pass over the runway, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed near the runway end. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander near Smithers: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-GIPF
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Campbell River - Smithers
MSN:
274
YOM:
1971
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was returning to Smithers, carrying one pilot and six German citizens taking part to a hunting camp. While descending to Smithers, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated area. SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned after four weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the seven occupants was found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near Baie-Comeau: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FDVK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
705
YOM:
1954
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane entered an area of heavy rain falls when the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed about 10 km north of Baie-Comeau. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Toronto: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1983 at 0858 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-GUBT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cleveland - Toronto
MSN:
12424
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
A Douglas C-47A cargo plane was destroyed when it crashed while in final approach to Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ), Canada. Both pilots were killed. Skycraft Air Transport Flight 505 operated on a cargo flight from Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, OH (CLE), USA. It was loaded with 6 wire mesh baskets, each almost filled with automobile roof bows. On completion of the loading, the crew chief stated he asked the flight crew if they wished the load tied down. They responded by saying they would take care of it. Flight 505 departed Cleveland at 07:45, on a VFR flight plan. The Toronto terminal controller gave a few small heading changes to direct the flight to the instrument landing system (ILS) localizer for an almost straight-in approach to runway 06R, then transferred it to the arrival controller, who continued vectoring the aircraft. During the approach, the arrival controller twice requested Flight 505 to maintain its best speed for spacing from other aircraft. The crew initially reported they were flying their maximum speed, and later indicated they were at their best speed as the aircraft was fairly heavy. Flight 505 called the tower over the outer marker and was cleared to land. After crossing the threshold 100 to 150 ft above the runway, the nose of the aircraft smoothly rose 5 to 10 deg. The nose then dropped an almost equal number of degrees, as if a correction had been made for the nose high attitude. This up, then down pitch movement was quickly followed by two pitch oscillations of increasing speed and magnitude. On the fourth oscillation, the nose continued to rise 45 to 60 deg. and the aircraft started to climb. The engine noise seemed to increase as the aircraft pitched up for the last time. At approximately 200 ft, as the aircraft reached the apex of its climb, the left wing dropped and the aircraft yawed to the left approximately 90 degrees. The wings levelled, then the aircraft fell into the field to the right side of the runway. The time between the beginning of the first oscillation and the impact with the ground is estimated to have been approximately 10 seconds. On impact the right main gear ruptured a fuel tank and a post-impact fuel fire ensued.
Probable cause:
The aircraft's weight and centre of gravity limits were exceeded, and the cargo was not secured. These factors led to loss of control of the aircraft.