Date & Time:
May 22, 1993 at 0922 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
Operator:
Loon Air
Registration:
C-GKPB
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Villeneuve - Villeneuve
MSN:
274
YOM:
1958
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was engaged in a post maintenance test flight, carrying one engineer and two pilots. Shortly after takeoff from Villeneuve Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft started to pitch up and down then lost height and crashed. The passenger was seriously injured while both pilots were killed, among them Billy Bourque, owner of Loon Air.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an error on part of the ground personnel in charge of the maintenance as the controls to the left aileron had been mis-rigged.
