Canada

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The pilot was attempting to take off from a confined lake. The aircraft was near maximum weight and the temperature was high. He had planned a “go, no go” position and reported that the aircraft was on the step by this point. He realised himself that the takeoff would be successful. The pilot initiated a climb before a safe speed was reached and the aircraft did not accelerate properly. In order to avoid high terrain the pilot commenced a turn to the right. The aircraft began to mush and then stalled on the lake surface. The passengers stated that because there were no seats available they sat on top of the cargo.
Source: www.dhc-2.com

The float plane was observed on take-off and initial climb before it disappeared behind a point of land. Shortly after, it impacted the surface of the lake in a left wing low attitude with considerable slip to the left. Reports describing the noises coming from the engine immediately before impact, are conflicting. Examination of the propeller indicated there was little or no power being developed at impact. Engine examination indicated it capable of producing power at impact. (lp 233/83 refers). The aircraft was fitted with an external fuel tank underneath the fuselage, but the log books and the weight and balance did not reflect this addition. An unapproved bench was installed in the centre cabin area, and the aircraft had no visible means of load restraint.
Source: www.dhc.2.com

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the single engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The pilot and a passenger were injured while three other passengers were killed.

While cruising at an altitude of 700 feet, the crew encountered technical problems with the left engine. The propeller was feathered but as the aircraft was overloaded, it was unable to maintain altitude, descended into trees and eventually crashed in a snow covered area. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

On approach to Toronto-Lester Bowles Pearson Airport following an uneventful flight from Philadelphia, the airplane rolled left and right then lost altitude and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found 13 km from runway 24R threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five occupants were killed, among them Ross Henningar, President and CEO of Sun Oil Company (Sunoco).