Date & Time:
Jun 23, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Martin JRM-3 Mars
Operator:
Forest Industries Flying Tankers
Registration:
CF-LYJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
9265
YOM:
1946
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While taking part to a fire fighting mission in the region of Parksville, Vancouver Island, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Moriarty located north of Fourth Lake. The airplane was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed the accident was the consequence of a failure of the water drop mechanism, which left the aircraft too heavy to climb quickly enough to avoid the mountain. However, no definite cause has officially been documented for this accident.
