Crash of a Lockheed CC-130B Hercules in North Battleford

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
10304
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rivers - North Battleford
MSN:
3590
YOM:
1960
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On a flight from Rivers AFB, Manitoba, to North Battleford, a technical failure occurred on the front cargo door that detached in flight. The crew decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft eventually completed a belly landing in a field located near North Battleford, slid for several yards and came to rest. There were no injuries among the crew while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. After the accident, the engine number one could not be stopped, probably after being hit by debris.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18 in Portage la Prairie

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
1488
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
A-663
YOM:
1951
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in flames in Portage la Prairie. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose in Vancouver: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-UAZ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vancouver – Tahsis
MSN:
1077
YOM:
1940
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Vancouver seaplane base, weather conditions worsened with snow showers and the crew decided to return to his departure point. While cruising in poor visibility, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that crashed while approaching Vancouver. A passenger was seriously injured while nine other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation while flying in snow falls.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman near Selkirk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-OBF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
587
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a flight from a fish camp to Selkirk. En route, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated area. As the airplane failed to arrive at Selkirk, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found. The burnt wreckage was found in June 1966.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B near Hundred Mile House: 52 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1965 at 1541 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-CUQ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vancouver – Prince George – Fort Saint John – Fort Nelson – Watson Lake – Whitehorse
MSN:
43844
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
CP021
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
52
Captain / Total flying hours:
13218
Captain / Total hours on type:
2690.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2657
Copilot / Total hours on type:
982
Aircraft flight hours:
29998
Circumstances:
Flight 21 was a scheduled domestic flight from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory via Prince George, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson in British Columbia and Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. At 1442 hours PST, the aircraft took off on an instrument flight plan for Prince George, via Victor 300 and Blue 22 airways. In the vicinity of Hope, north-bound on Blue 22 airway, it was sighted by CPA Flight 22 and communication was established. Shortly afterwards at 1517 hours Flight 21 requested and received clearance to proceed from its position north of Hope direct to Williams Lake, which track would pass to the west of Ashcroft. At 1529 hours, it reported to the Vancouver Air Traffic Control Centre that it had passed Ashcroft at 1527 hours at 16 000 ft and was estimating William Lake at 1548 hours. This transmission was acknowledged by the Vancouver Centre. At 1538 hours, Vancouver Centre called Flight 21 and did not receive a reply. About two minutes later, three "mayday" calls were heard by Vancouver Centre. At approximately the same time a four-engined aircraft, subsequently identified as Flight 21, was observed by witnesses flying in the clear over the Gustafson Lake area about 20 miles west of 100 Mile House, B.C. The aircraft appeared to be in normal flight when an explosion was heard, following which smoke was observed and the tail separated from the fuselage. The main portion of the wreckage assumed a nose down attitude and spiraled to the left until it crashed into a wooded area about 4.5 miles north of Gustafson Lake. The accident occurred at 1541 hours. There were no survivors among the 52 occupants.
Probable cause:
Explosion of a device which resulted in aerial disintegration.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso off Catalina: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1965
Registration:
CF-OFJ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
CV-315
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission in Little Catalina, Newfoundland. While completing a scooping manoeuvre, the seaplane went out of control and sank into the Catalina Bay. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was injured. The aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman in Cooper Lake: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CF-MPL
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
N29-40
YOM:
1949
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Cooper Lake in heavy rain falls, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a wooded area. Two passengers were seriously injured while three other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK into the Trinity Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1965 at 1810 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N4997E
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Miami – Gander – Santa Maria – Manila
MSN:
12191
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
30000
Captain / Total hours on type:
6000.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft has to be delivered to Air Manila in the Philippines and the crew departed Miami for Manila with intermediate stops in Gander and Santa Maria, Azores Islands. While cruising over Newfoundland, the crew was able to send a brief mayday message when the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Trinity Bay. The aircraft was lost and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following an emergency of an undetermined nature.
Final Report:

Crash of a Handley Page HPR.7 Dart Herald 202 in Musquodoboit: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1965 at 0922 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CF-NAF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moncton – Summerside – Charlottetown – New Glasgow – Halifax – Sydney – Deer Lake – Gander – Torbay
MSN:
160
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
PV102
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
20200
Captain / Total hours on type:
1000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
11960
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1000
Aircraft flight hours:
4135
Circumstances:
Flight 102 was a scheduled domestic flight from Moncton to Torbay, Newfoundland, with scheduled stops at Summerside, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, New Glasgow, Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, Deer Lake, Gander and Torbay, Newfoundland. It took off from Moncton, New Brunswick at 0635 hours Atlantic Standard Time. The flight was routine as far as Halifax where a 36-minute stopover was made. No aircraft unserviceabilities were reported by the crew during the stopover. The flight departed Halifax for Sydney at 0910 hours. It was cleared to depart runway 33, to turn right and climb on course to an altitude of 13 000 ft via Victor 312 Airway to the Sydney omnirange station. Following take-off, it was requested to report reaching 13 000 ft and this was acknowledged. There was no further communication between the aircraft and Air Traffic Control. At 0915 hours the aircraft contacted the airline's radio facility at Halifax and transmitted flight data as follows: time out 0908 hours and off at 0912 hours along with an estimated time of arrival at Sydney of 0959 hours. This was the last known transmission from the aircraft. No difficulty was reported by the crew. Nineteen witnesses located about three miles north-north-east of the accident site and about 2 miles south-east the centre line of Victor 312 Airway testified that an unusual noise attracted their attention to an aircraft flying on an easterly heading and that the tail unit and, later on, the nose section separated from the aircraft, whereupon it went out of control and crashed 45 to 60 seconds after. The time of the accident was calculated to be approximately 0922 hours. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of corroded skin area along the bottom centre line of the aircraft beneath stringer No.32 which resulted in structural failure of the fuselage and aerial disintegration. The precise nature and origin of the skin corrosion has not been determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1965 at 1730 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CF-PQG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12055
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11000
Captain / Total hours on type:
6500.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2400
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1000
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the visibility decreased because of the glare of the landing lights on the falling snow. The aircraft deviated 10° or 15° to the left without the crew being aware that this deviation had occurred and, after rolling for about 750 ft, it left the north side of the runway. The attempt to take off was continued. However, adequate speed could not be obtained. After a series of impacts, the aircraft came to rest about 3,150 feet from the start of takeoff and about 700 feet short of the base of a sharply rising hill. All 9 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was operated on behalf of the Département des Transports et des Communications du Québec.
Probable cause:
Loss of directional control during takeoff at night from an unlighted aerodrome.
Final Report: