Canada | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft left Whitehorse Airport for Vangorda Creek with an intermediate stop at Ross River, carrying fuel and personnel Army Survey camps. While cruising in marginal weather conditions at an altitude of 4,275 feet, the single engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Fox, west of Ross River. As it failed to arrive at Ross River, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found eleven days later, on October 13. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed, the pilot George Milne and three passengers.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth at Duck Lake

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth

Operator:

Registration:

CF-BNP

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

FM.8

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff from Duck Lake in Kenora. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was the property of Robert R. Colley.

Crash of a Lockheed L-749 Constellation in Gander

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1954 at 2145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-749 Constellation

Operator:

Registration:

F-BAZI

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Paris – Shannon – Gander – New York – Mexico City

MSN:

2513

YOM:

1947

Flight number:

AF075

Location:

Gander

Newfoundland & Labrador

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

17036

Circumstances:

The crew started the approach to Gander Airport by night and in good weather conditions. Following a stabilized approach, the four engine aircraft landed normally on runway 32. After touchdown, the reverse thrust system were activated when the aircraft veered to the left. Despite several corrections on part of the flying crew such as braking action, movement on the nose wheel steering and power added on both left engines number one and two, the aircraft continued down the runway, overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest into a ravine. While all 67 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The approach configuration to Gander Airport was correct and the aircraft was stabilized until touchdown. No technical anomalies were found on the aircraft and all piloting techniques were normal. The analysis of the aircraft's path after touchdown did not show any trace of rough braking action. An exam of the pilot reports indicated that the aircraft was quite difficult to be maneuvered during a turn to the right. At the time of the accident, a lateral wind was blowing to 16 knots, which could be considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Churchill

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Registration:

3672

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Suffered an accident at Churchill Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was not repaired.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2B Privateer near Grise Fiord: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

Operator:

Registration:

59925

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Thule - Thule

MSN:

59925

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While conducting a survey flight of the iced continent, the crew encountered white conditions when the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located near Grise Fiord. All nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Canadair C-4M North Star in Moose Jaw: 36 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1954 at 1003 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadair C-4 North Star

Operator:

Registration:

CF-TFW

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Winnipeg – Vancouver

MSN:

150

YOM:

1949

Flight number:

TCA223

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 under IFR rules, the four engine aircraft collided with a RCAF North American T-6 Harvard registered 3309. Sole on board, the pilote just took off from Moose Jaw Airfield for a local training mission. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control and dove into the ground. The Harvard crash on a golf course while the North Star crashed onto a house located in the suburb of Moose Jaw. The pilot of the Harvard was killed as well as all 35 occupants on board the TCAL aircraft and one people inside the house.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the following factors:
- Failure on the part of the pilots of both aircraft to maintain a proper lookout, the onus of responsibility for keeping out of the way being with the Harvard aircraft as it had the other on its own right side.
- The Harvard aircraft in crossing the airway climbed through altitudes normally used by aircraft flying along the airway.
- The Board up to the present has been unable to determine whether the window post on the left side of the Canadair C4-1 aircraft hid the Harvard aircraft from view, but there are indications that this was possible.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83C Fox Moth in Longueuil

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth

Operator:

Registration:

CF-BNV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

FM.13

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying at low height, the single engine hit trees and crashed in Longueuil, in the suburb of Montreal. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were injured. The airplane was owned by D. Pearson and W. Wilson.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A in Ashuanipi Lake

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso)

Operator:

Hollinger Ungava Transport

Registration:

CF-DIK

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ashuanipi Lake - Ashuanipi Lake

MSN:

CV-445

YOM:

1944

Location:

Ashuanipi Lake

Newfoundland & Labrador

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While making a practice landing at Ashuanipi Lake, Labrador, the Canso's starboard float dug. The airplane swung, filled with water and sank by a depth of 200 feet. There were no casualties. The accident occurred in 1953 (exact date remains unknown).

Crash of a Canadair C-54GM North Star in Vancouver

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Canadair C-4 North Star

Operator:

Registration:

17503

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Vancouver – Edmonton – Montreal

MSN:

110

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Vancouver to Montreal with an intermediate stop in Edmonton on behalf of the 426th Transport Squadron. On the leg from Vancouver to Edmonton, the crew encountered icing conditions when an engine failed. The captain decided to return to Vancouver for a safe landing when on approach, he encountered poor weather with rains falls and icing conditions. On final, the aircraft banked left and right, causing the right wing to hit the runway surface. On impact, the right wing was sheared off and the aircraft went out of control and came upside down. It then slid for dozen yards before coming to rest at the edge of a ditch. All 51 occupants were miraculously evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.