Region
North America

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Buffalo Narrows: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1980
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
C-GZBE
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1082
YOM:
1957
Location:
Buffalo Narrows
Saskatchewan
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff, while climbing, the single engine airplane struck power cables and crashed. A passenger was killed while five other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Halifax: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Eastern Flying Services
Registration:
C-GLFS
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
31-735
YOM:
1971
Location:
Halifax-Stanfield
Nova Scotia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances while on final approach to Halifax-Stanfield Airport. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Leo Creek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1979
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
Operator:
Smithers Air Service
Registration:
C-FJIK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leo Creek - Smithers
MSN:
229
YOM:
1957
Location:
Leo Creek
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The Otter had been chartered to carry three passengers and a stove to a remote hunting and fishing lodge. On the return flight to Smithers, the environment conscious passengers elected to take their empty beer bottles with them, all 250 to 300 cases. One passenger was in the cockpit, the other two occupied the first row of seats and the rest of the aircraft was filled with empty beer bottles. Immediately after liftoff, the aircraft pitched to a steep nose-high attitude which the pilot was unable to prevent or correct. It then stalled and fell to the ground. A severe fuel-fed fire erupted on impact and gutted the aircraft. The pilot was thrown clear but the three passengers died in the fire. The pilot of the Otter was Emil Mesich, who was the owner of Smithers Air Service. The crash caused the company to cease trading and go into receivership. Pilot Mesich was then employed by Central Mountain Air Services Ltd., also based at Smithers. He was the pilot of Otter C-FDJA (459) of Central Mountain Air Services when it crashed near Smithers on 18th September 1982 and was sadly killed in that crash.
Source: Karl E. Hayes
Probable cause:
It was determined that there were no less than 4,773 bottles on board. A weight and balance calculation on this discovery indicated that the gross weight of the Otter was 637 pounds over the maximum, with the CofG 11,5 inches aft of the rear limit. Calculations made by DHC showed that an Otter will run out of elevator control with the CofG four inches aft of the rear limit. The pilot had estimated that a dozen bottles weighed 3 to 4 pounds when the true weight was 7 pounds.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Churchill

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
C-GYHT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22375
YOM:
1945
Location:
Churchill
Manitoba
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Churchill Airport, the crew encountered engine problems. The oil pressure dropped on the left engine while the oil temperature increased. The crew elected to return but was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing in a rocky area located about one km short of runway 15. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while both occupants escaped with minor injuries. It was later reported that the total weight of the aircraft was well above the max gross weight at takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near McKinstry Lake

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1979
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Stewart Lake Air Service
Registration:
C-GAJU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1169
YOM:
1958
Location:
McKinstry Lake
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing near McKinstry Lake. Both occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Big Trout Lake: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1979
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
C-GTJA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pickle Lake - Big Trout Lake
MSN:
630
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
UH607
Location:
Big Trout Lake
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Big Trout Lake Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility. On final, the twin engine airplane struck an NDB tower and crashed. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while nine other occupants were injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimums.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680E in Quesnel

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Grand Commander 680
Operator:
Futura Aviation
Registration:
C-GFAC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
680-0837-68
YOM:
1959
Location:
Quesnel
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot encountered technical problems and decided to attempt an emergency landing in Quesnel. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while the pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver at Otter Lake: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1979
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Great Shield Air
Registration:
C-GPVE
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
423
YOM:
1952
Location:
Otter Lake
Saskatchewan
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Otter Lake, SK, while in initial climb, the single engine airplane initiated a left turn then a right turn. It rolled left and right then pitched down and crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it was determined that the aircraft was equipped with only two safety belts with six people on board. Also, it was reported that the total weight of the aircraft at the time of the accident was 455 lbs above max gross weight.

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

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1979 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
West Coast Air Services
Registration:
C-FWAF
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vancouver – Sechelt – Powell River
MSN:
122
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
106
Location:
Sechelt
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
13815
Circumstances:
Flight 106 was a schedule service from Vancouver to Powell River with an intermediate stop at Sechelt. The flight to Sechelt was uneventful. While approaching Porpoise Bay at Sechelt, at an altitude of 200 feet, the twin engine airplane rolled to the right in an angle of 90° then nosed down and crashed on the east shore of the bay, about 50 meters from the water. The captain and a passenger were killed while 14 other occupants were injured, four of them seriously.
Probable cause:
The right-hand aileron bellcrank-to-aileron rod had separated from the bellcrank end fitting due to an extensive stress corrosion crack. This allowed the right-hand aileron to move up, causing asymmetric lift and irretrievable loss of control. The specified visual inspection of the rods was inadequate to detect stress corrosion cracking. Previous similar failures of flap rods on the DHC-6 had led to airworthiness action by the manufacturer and the DOT but these measures were not applied to the aileron rods which are of similar construction.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-7 Islander in Blinkhorn Point: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Registration:
C-FZVV
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Comox - Port Hardy
MSN:
238
YOM:
1971
Location:
Blinkhorn Point (Victoria Island)
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route from Comox to Port Hardy, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to thick fog. The twin engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed on hilly terrain located in Blinkhorn Point, Victoria Island. Four passengers were killed while five other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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