Date & Time:
Jul 3, 1957 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
CF-CRL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Great Whale River – Val-d’Or
MSN:
414-7546
YOM:
1943
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
150
Circumstances:
The aircraft, owned by the Photographic Survey Corporation Limited, departed Great Whale River at approximately 0915 hours eastern standard time on a non-scheduled flight to Val d'Or, with the pilot, a maintenance engineer and two passengers aboard. An instrument flight plan was filed prior to departure, and the aircraft was to fly at 7 000 ft direct to Val d'Or, the estimated time of arrival being 1200 hours. Following take-off CF-CRL climbed on a magnetic heading of 185° on instruments, and the pilot was requested to report passing through 7 000 ft and to continue the climb to 9 000 ft. After passing routine messages, in which the freezing level of 10 000 ft was included, the pilot reported at 0928 hours that he was visual at 10 000 ft and that he would maintain this altitude to Val d'Or. At 0930 he stated he would maintain 1 000 ft on top of the overcast, i.e. 11 000 ft. At 0957 the pilot requested a radio check, and Great Whale River informed him that his transmission was weak. The pilot acknowledged this message which was the last transmission received from him. At 1600 hours the RCAF Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Trenton, Ontario was notified that the aircraft was overdue, and a search was begun. The wreckage was found on 25 July, 36 miles from Rupert House, P. Q., on a bearing of 153° True. All four occupants had been killed in the crash, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was not conclusively determined. It should be noted, however, that the pilot took off in weather conditions below permissible limits, in an area sparsely served with aids to navigation, in an aircraft not equipped with de- icing equipment.
Final Report:
CF-CRL.pdf1.43 MB
