Date & Time:
Jan 17, 1956 at 0052 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CF-GVZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Quebec – Seven Islands – Knob Lake – Oreway – Seven Islands – Quebec
MSN:
15552/26997
YOM:
1944
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
At approximately 1436 hours Atlantic Standard Time on 16 January the aircraft took off on a non-scheduled flight from Mont Joli, Quebec, to Knob Lake via Seven Islands and arrived at Knob Lake at 2002 hours. At 2202 hours on 17 January the aircraft took off from Knob Lake on the return flight to Seven Islands via Oreway, Labrador, with a crew of three and fifteen passengers on board, The flight appears to have been normal until 2312 hours at which time, according to the navigation log, heavy to moderate rime ice was encountered and the aircraft was climbed to 10 000 feet. At 2335 hours a further note was made in the log that the oil pressure on the starboard engine had dropped to 40 pounds (per square inch) and that at 2336 hours the warning light came on and the starboard propeller was feathered. According to a statement obtained from one of the passengers and the declaration of the stewardess, the engine was subsequently restarted for about ten minutes and then stopped again. The aircraft gradually lost height on one engine and due to the hills ahead the captain decided to return to Oreway. At 0052 the aircraft crashed to the ground about 2 000 feet southeast of Oreway railway station, while a forced landing was being attempted. The captain, co-pilot and one passenger died in the accident and the stewardess died of injuries a few days later; two passengers were seriously injured and some of the remaining passengers received minor injuries.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was crash landed at night through inability to maintain height due to failure of the starboard engine under icing conditions when the aircraft was heavily loaded. In addition to the facts cited by the Board it is concluded, from a review of its report, that the pilot committed an error in taking the aircraft off from Knob Lake at a weight calculated to be 729 lbs. in excess of the maximum permitted for that airfield.
Final Report:
CF-GVZ.pdf1.32 MB
